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milestone

MAYL-stohn /ˈmaɪlstoʊn/

nounB2IELTSSAT

GeneralProfessional

A significant stage or event in the development of something.

In projects, a milestone has zero duration; it marks the completion of a major phase or the arrival of a key date.

The story behind the word. The word comes from the Roman Empire, where stones were placed every 1,000 paces ('mille passus') along roads to show travelers how far they had come. By the 1700s, it began to be used figuratively for progress in life or work.

Word relationships

landmark: A landmark is often a physical or highly visible achievement, while a milestone is a point on a timeline.
turning point: A turning point implies a change in direction, whereas a milestone implies progress along a set path.

setback: A setback is an event that delays progress, the opposite of reaching a milestone.

Commonly confused with

task: A task is the work you do; a milestone is the moment you finish a significant group of tasks.

Word family

milestones (noun): Plural form of milestone.

Collocations

major milestone
reach a milestone
milestone payment
project milestone

Example sentences

"The discovery of penicillin was a milestone in the history of medicine." History
"Reaching the beta testing phase is a critical milestone for the development team." Software Development

Memory hook

Picture a stone on the side of a road with a '1' on it—you've made it through the first mile! A milestone marks the miles you've gone.

When not to use

Do not use 'milestone' for small, daily tasks; it should be reserved for major achievements.

Fun facts

The 'Golden Milestone' was a monument in ancient Rome from which all roads were measured.
In project software like Microsoft Project, milestones are represented by diamond shapes.