WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
stand•ard /ˈstændɚd/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- something considered to be a basis of comparison:an official standard for weight.
- a principle for judging how good something is:a teacher whose standards are quite high.
- an average or normal quality, quantity, or level:The work isn't up to his usual standard.
- standards, [plural] the morals, ethics, etc., regarded as acceptable:The standards of the community are taken into account.
- Music and Dancea popular song having long-lasting popularity:He likes the old standards —Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin.
- a flag indicating the presence of a king, queen, or public official, or used as an emblem by a group in the armed forces:King Arthur raised the standard of the Pendragon.
adj.
- serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.
- of recognized excellence or established authority:[before a noun]a standard reference book.
- usual or customary;
normal:The car has these standard features: air conditioning, an airbag, and fold-down rear seats. - manual;
not electric or automatic:standard transmission. - Linguistics[usually before a noun] (of a language or dialect) agreeing with the pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc., found among most educated native speakers and widely considered acceptable or correct. Compare nonstandard (def. 2).
stand•ard
(stan′dərd),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- something considered by an authority or by general consent as a basis of comparison;
an approved model. - an object that is regarded as the usual or most common size or form of its kind:We stock the deluxe models as well as the standards.
- a rule or principle that is used as a basis for judgment:They tried to establish standards for a new philosophical approach.
- an average or normal requirement, quality, quantity, level, grade, etc.:His work this week hasn't been up to his usual standard.
- standards, those morals, ethics, habits, etc., established by authority, custom, or an individual as acceptable: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.
- Businessa certain commodity in or by which a basic monetary unit is stated. Cf. gold standard, silver standard, bimetallism, monometallism.
- Businessthe legally established content of full-weight coins.
- Businessthe prescribed degree of fineness for gold or silver.
- British Terms, Educationa class or grade in elementary schools.
- Music and Dancea musical piece of sufficiently enduring popularity to be made part of a permanent repertoire, esp. a popular song.
- a flag indicating the presence of a sovereign or public official.
- a flag, emblematic figure, or other object raised on a pole to indicate the rallying point of an army, fleet, etc.
- [Mil.]
- Militaryany of various military or naval flags.
- Militarythe colors of a mounted unit.
- Military(cap.) a U.S. Navy radar-guided surface-to-air missile with a range of 10–30 miles (16–48 km).
- Heraldrya long, tapering flag or ensign, as of a monarch or a nation.
- something that stands or is placed upright.
- a long candlestick or candelabrum used in a church.
- an upright support or supporting part.
- Heraldry[Armor.]a standing collar of mail.
- Botany[Hort.]a plant trained or grafted to have a single, erect, treelike stem.
- Botanya distinct petal, larger than the rest, of certain flowers;
a vexillum.
adj.
- serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.
- 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. - Linguisticsconforming in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc., to the usage of most educated native speakers, esp. those having prestige, and widely considered acceptable or correct:Standard American English; standard pronunciation.Cf. nonstandard (def. 2).
- authorized or approved:The program was broadcast on the standard broadcast band.
- Frankish *standord (compare German Standort standing-point), conformed to -ard -ard
- Old French, probably
- Middle English 1125–75
- 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged 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.