yardstick
/ˈjɑːrdˌstɪk/ · yard·stick
noun
- A measuring rod thirty‑six inches (one yard) long. The carpenter checked the board with a wooden yardstick before cutting it.
- A standard or criterion against which other things are measured or judged. The company's profit margin became the yardstick for evaluating all its divisions.
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Did you know? The metaphorical use of “yardstick” to denote a benchmark dates back to the mid‑1800s, when engineers began using the literal yard‑long rod as a convenient visual standard for quality control.