milestone
MYL-stohn
/ˈmaɪlstəʊn/
An action or event marking a significant change or stage in development.
In project management, a milestone is a specific point in a project timeline that marks the completion of a major phase.
The story behind the word. In the Roman Empire, stones were placed every mile along the roads to show travelers how far they had come and how far they had to go. In business, we use 'milestones' to see how far we've come on the 'road' of a project.
Word relationships
- landmark: A landmark is often a physical object or a very famous historical event; a milestone is usually a stage in a process.
- turning point: A turning point implies a change in direction; a milestone implies progress along a set path.
Commonly confused with
- benchmark: A benchmark is a standard of quality; a milestone is a point in time.
Collocations
- reach a milestone
- major milestone
- project milestone
- significant milestone
Example sentences
- "Reaching 10,000 subscribers was a major milestone for our newsletter." A project update email.
- "The invention of the transistor was a milestone in the history of electronics." A history of technology.
Memory hook
A 'stone' that marks a 'mile' of progress. A marker on the road to success.
When not to use
Don't use 'milestone' for every small task. It should be reserved for major achievements.
Fun facts
- The 'Golden Milestone' (Milliarium Aureum) was a monument in ancient Rome from which all roads were said to begin.
Explore more words
timeline, landmark, watershed, breakthrough, incremental, make progress
Also appears in
- Leadership → Strategic Planning
- Business → Workplace Productivity
- Business → Project Management
- Psychology → Developmental Stages & Maturation
- Education & Pedagogy → Early Childhood Education
- Health Sciences → Pediatrics & Child Health
- Psychology → Child & Adolescent Development
- Home & Domestic Life → Parenting & Childcare
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Birthdays & Aging
- Romance, Dating & Marriage → Honeymoons & Anniversaries
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Baby Showers & Gender Reveals
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Retirement Celebrations
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