touchstone
noun
Michael Specter
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Since the early 16th century, touchstone has referred to a particular kind of siliceous stone (that is, stone containing silica) used to do a particular job: determine the purity of precious metals. The process involves comparing marks made by rubbing a sample of a metal of known purity to marks made by a metal of unknown purity. The method is accurate enough in the case of determining the purity of gold that it is still in use today. Figurative use extended from this literal use, with touchstone functioning as a word for a test or criterion to determine the quality of a thing, and later to refer to a fundamental or quintessential part or feature of something.
Synonyms
Examples of touchstone in a Sentence
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
But the thing is, this is IP: five famous books, that have been translated multiple times, including into a movie that’s a generational touchstone.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2024
In this way, Koenig most resembles Simon, whose music—including its deft (if ballsy) adoption of polyrhythms from sub-Saharan Africa—has always been a major touchstone for the band.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024
The Master and Margarita is a touchstone in Russia.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 1 Apr. 2024
Now, the Angels — especially depicted in their iconic signature pose — are a pop culture touchstone.
—EW.com, 14 Mar. 2024
The violence of January 6th has become a touchstone for Biden, too, but with a different valence.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
But perhaps the greatest touchstone for measuring McDonald’s inflation — so iconic that its price is used to measure purchasing power parity between currencies — is through its iconic, eponymous Big Mac.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2024
To counter the outdated popular lore about big families, new cultural touchstones that reflect Italy’s demographic realities are starting to emerge.
—Alessandra Migliaccio, Fortune Europe, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'touchstone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near touchstone
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“Touchstone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touchstone. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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touchstone
noun
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