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[stan-derd] /ˈstæn dərd/
We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.
They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.
He tried to live up to his father's standards.
a grade of beef immediately below good.
the authorized exemplar of a unit of weight or measure.
the legally established content of full-weight coins.
the prescribed degree of fineness for gold or silver.
British. a class or grade in elementary schools.
a flag indicating the presence of a sovereign or public official.
  1. any of various military or naval flags.
  2. the colors of a mounted unit.
  3. (initial capital letter) a U.S. Navy radar-guided surface-to-air missile with a range of 10–30 miles (16–48 km).
something that stands or is placed upright.
a long candlestick or candelabrum used in a church.
an upright support or supporting part.
Armor. a standing collar of mail.
Horticulture. a plant trained or grafted to have a single, erect, treelike stem.
Botany. a distinct petal, larger than the rest, of certain flowers; a vexillum.
of recognized excellence or established authority:
a standard reference on medieval history.
usual, common, or customary:
Chairs are standard furniture in American households.
manual; not electric or automatic:
standard transmission.
conforming in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc., to the usage of most educated native speakers, especially those having prestige, and widely considered acceptable or correct:
Standard American English; standard pronunciation.
Compare nonstandard (def 2).
authorized or approved:
The program was broadcast on the standard broadcast band.
1125-75; Middle English < Old French, probably < Frankish *standord (compare German Standort standing-point), conformed to -ard -ard
Related forms
prestandard, noun, adjective
superstandard, noun, adjective
unstandard, adjective
1, 3. gauge, basis, pattern, guide. Standard, criterion refer to the basis for making a judgment. A standard is an authoritative principle or rule that usually implies a model or pattern for guidance, by comparison with which the quantity, excellence, correctness, etc., of other things may be determined: She could serve as the standard of good breeding. A criterion is a rule or principle used to judge the value, suitability, probability, etc., of something, without necessarily implying any comparison: Wealth is no criterion of a person's worth. Unabridged
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Examples from the web for standard
  • The condensates are not standard gases, liquids or even solids.
  • And then there's the microwave, the gold standard of collegiate cooking appliances.
  • If so, the study would contradict the standard conception of memory.
  • To have a decent standard of living requires energy.
  • But while setting a standard is one matter, achieving it is another.
  • But the gold standard for being a hominid was upright walking.
  • Tesla's vehicles use standard lithium-ion battery cells.
British Dictionary definitions for standard


(often pl) a principle of propriety, honesty, and integrity: she has no standards
a level of excellence or quality: a low standard of living
any distinctive flag, device, etc, as of a nation, sovereign, or special cause
  1. any of a variety of naval or military flags
  2. the colours of a cavalry regiment
a flag or emblem formerly used to show the central or rallying point of an army in battle
a large tapering flag ending in two points, originally borne by a sovereign or high-ranking noble
the commodity or commodities in which is stated the value of a basic monetary unit: the gold standard
an authorized model of a unit of measure or weight
a unit of board measure equal to 1980 board feet
(in coinage) the prescribed proportion by weight of precious metal and base metal that each coin must contain
an upright pole or beam, esp one used as a support
  1. a piece of furniture consisting of an upright pole or beam on a base or support
  2. (as modifier): a standard lamp
  1. a plant, esp a fruit tree, that is trained so that it has an upright stem free of branches
  2. (as modifier): a standard cherry
a song or piece of music that has remained popular for many years
the largest petal of a leguminous flower, such as a sweetpea
(in New Zealand and, formerly, in England and Wales) a class or level of attainment in an elementary school
of the usual, regularized, medium, or accepted kind: a standard size
of recognized authority, competence, or excellence: the standard work on Greece
denoting or characterized by idiom, vocabulary, etc, that is regarded as correct and acceptable by educated native speakers Compare nonstandard, informal
(Brit) (formerly) (of eggs) of a size that is smaller than large and larger than medium
Word Origin
C12: from Old French estandart gathering place, flag to mark such a place, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German stantan to stand, Old High German ort place
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for standard

mid-12c., "flag or other conspicuous object to serve as a rallying point for a military force," from Old French estandart, probably from Frankish *standhard, literally "stand fast or firm," a compound of words similar to Gothic standan "to stand" (see stand) and hardus "hard" (see hard). So called because the flag was fixed to a pole or spear and stuck in the ground to stand upright.

The other theory connects the Old French word to estendre "to stretch out," from Latin extendere (see extend). Meaning "unit of measure" is early 14c., from Anglo-French, where it was used 13c., and is perhaps metaphoric, the royal standard coming to stand for royal authority in matters like setting weights and measures. Hence the meaning "authoritative or recognized exemplar of quality or correctness" (late 15c.).

Meaning "rule, principal or means of judgment" is from 1560s. That of "definite level of attainment" is attested from 1711 (e.g. standard of living, 1903). Some senses (e.g. "upright pole," mid-15c.) seem to be influenced by stand (v.). Standard-bearer in the figurative sense is from 1560s.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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standard in Medicine

standard stan·dard (stān'dərd)

  1. An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion.

  2. An object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the magnitude of a unit.

  1. Serving as or conforming to a standard of measurement or value.

  2. Widely recognized as a model of authority or excellence.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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standard in Technology
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