milestone
MYL-stohn
/ˈmaɪlstoʊn/
A significant stage or event in the development of something.
Often used for 'round number' anniversaries (10th, 25th, 50th) or major life transitions.
The story behind the word. In Ancient Rome, literal stones were placed every mile along roads to tell travelers how far they had gone. Over time, the word moved from the roadside to the calendar, marking progress through life instead of across the land.
Word relationships
- landmark: A landmark is often a physical object or a very prominent event, while a milestone emphasizes progress along a timeline.
Collocations
- major milestone
- reach a milestone
- milestone anniversary
Example sentences
- "Reaching their 50th wedding anniversary was a milestone that few couples in their town had achieved." Reflecting on a long marriage.
- "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning... a milestone on our long road." A famous historical reference to progress.
Memory hook
Imagine a stone on a long road that tells you how far your relationship has traveled. A marker on the road of life.
When not to use
Avoid using it for minor, everyday occurrences; it implies something that marks progress on a long journey.
Fun facts
- The 'Golden Milestone' (Milliarium Aureum) was a monument in the Roman Forum from which all roads were said to begin.
Related words
Explore more words
timeline, landmark, watershed, breakthrough, incremental, make progress
Also appears in
- Leadership → Strategic Planning
- Business → Workplace Productivity
- Business → Project Management
- Business → Performance Evaluation
- 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
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Baby Showers & Gender Reveals
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Retirement Celebrations
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