milestone

Noun

1. A stone milepost (or by extension in other materials), one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of the road or in a median.
2. (idiomatic) An important event in a person's life or career, in the history of a nation, in the life of some project, etc.

Verb

1. To place milestones along (a road, etc.).
2. (idiomatic) To plan out a project as a series of major steps.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/

Etymology

Cognate with Dutch: mijlsteen

Cognate with German: Meilenstein

Cognate with Swedish: milsten

In summary

From mile + stone. Compare Dutch mijlsteen (“milestone”), German Low German Mielensteen (“milestone”), German Meilenstein (“milestone”), Swedish milsten (“milestone”).

Synonyms

landmark

milepost

breakthrough

watershed

finish line

goal

phase

post

stake

stone

🪨

mile-post

spar buoy

new departure

standing stone

milliarium

innovation

breaktrough

anniversary

kilometer stone

cairn

discovery

event

Translations

Meilenstein

pietra miliare

hito

borne

mijlpaal

jalon

mojón

fita

kamień milowy

marco miliário

Kilometerstein

معلم

pedra miliária

mijlsteen

Markstein