noun
Uncommon
milestone
MYLS-tohn
Milestone (noun) means a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination. Example: “An old stone milestone stood at the edge of the village.”
noun
1
A marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination.
"An old stone milestone stood at the edge of the village."
"The worn milestone by the roadside told travellers how many miles remained to the market town."
"Children liked to sit on the mossy milestone while waiting for the bus."
2
An important event or stage of progress in a project, career, or life.
"Getting the funding approved was a major milestone for the company."
"Her first solo flight was a milestone she never forgot."
"Learning to ride a bike without stabilisers felt like a real milestone for my daughter."
How to use milestone
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA marker of distance on a road, or, much more commonly today, a big step of progress worth noting.
Common pairings
reach a milestone
major milestone
developmental milestone
project milestones
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Word forms
- Plural
- milestones
- Third person singular
- milestones
- Past tense
- milestoned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
An old stone _____ stood at the edge of the village.
Etymology
Literally "mile" plus "stone" — from the old practice of setting stone markers at mile intervals along roads.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for milestone
See all rhymes for milestone →Frequently asked questions
What does “milestone” mean?
The word “milestone” means a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination. In plain terms, a marker of distance on a road, or, much more commonly today, a big step of progress worth noting.
How do you pronounce “milestone”?
“Milestone” is pronounced MYLS-tohn (/ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “milestone” in a sentence?
Here is “milestone” used in a sentence: “An old stone milestone stood at the edge of the village.”
What is another word for “milestone”?
Words with a similar meaning to “milestone” include landmark.
What part of speech is “milestone”?
“Milestone” is a noun.
Is “milestone” a common word?
“Milestone” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “milestone” have?
“Milestone” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination.
What is the difference between a milestone and a landmark?
A milestone refers to an important event or stage of progress in a project, career, or life, while a landmark can refer either to a notable physical feature or building, or figuratively to a significant turning point, much like a milestone. In figurative use the two words overlap closely, but landmark more often carries a physical or highly prominent connotation.
What is the difference between the literal and figurative meaning of milestone?
Literally, a milestone is a marker placed beside a road showing the distance to a destination. Figuratively, a milestone is an important event or stage of progress, such as graduating or reaching a project deadline, extending the idea of marking distance travelled to marking progress achieved.
How is milestone used in project management?
In project management, a milestone marks a significant point of progress, such as the completion of a major phase or deliverable, used to track whether a project is on schedule. Milestones are typically set in advance and reviewed to measure how far a project has advanced.
