standard

standard — noun

1. a measurement of how good or acceptable something is, based on what people expec

1.nounB2
Definition

a measurement of how good or acceptable something is, based on what people expect or what is judged to be sufficient

Example

The hospital was praised for raising its standards of patient care.

collocation: raise/improve standards

Christopher inspected every part to ensure it met the required quality standards.

collocation: meet / required standards

Common collocations
  • high standard
  • low standard
  • raise standards
  • meet standards
  • set a standard
  • below standard
  • up to standard
Synonyms
  • level

    more neutral, less evaluative than standard

  • benchmark

    a reference point used for comparison, often in business or education

  • yardstick

    informal; something used to judge or measure quality

Usage Note

Often paired with prepositions like 'of' (standard of something) and verbs like 'meet', 'raise', 'set', or 'maintain'. Can be uncountable when speaking generally ('work of a high standard').

Common Mistakes

The product is standard of good quality.
The product is of a good standard.
'standard' is not an adjective here; use 'of a … standard' pattern.

2. a principle of behaviour that a person or group believes to be morally right and

2.nounC2
Definition

a principle of behaviour that a person or group believes to be morally right and follows consistently

Example

Sahil refused to lie to his clients because he holds himself to strict moral standards.

collocation: moral / ethical standards

Sirin refused to reveal her source for the story, honouring the ethical standards of journalism.

Common collocations
  • moral standards
  • ethical standards
  • high standards
  • double standard
  • set standards
  • lower standards
Synonyms
  • principle

    a fundamental truth or rule; broader and more abstract than standards

  • value

    usually plural (values); refers to beliefs about what is important in life

Usage Note

Almost always plural in this sense (standards). Singular 'a standard' is rare and only appears in fixed phrases like 'a double standard'. Frequently modified by adjectives such as 'moral', 'ethical', 'high', 'strict'.

Common Mistakes

He has a strong moral standard.
He has strong moral standards.
this sense is almost always plural.

3. something that is accepted as a normal or official model for how things should b

3.nounB2
Definition

something that is accepted as a normal or official model for how things should be done or made

Example

The kilogram kept in France once served as the international standard for measuring weight.

collocation: serve as / become the standard for

Naoko's report layout became the standard for all departments in the company.

Common collocations
  • industry standard
  • international standard
  • set a standard
  • the standard for
  • become the standard
Synonyms
  • norm

    what is typical or expected, less formal than standard

  • criterion

    more formal; a specific principle used to judge something

  • benchmark

    a fixed point of reference for comparison

Usage Note

Use 'the standard for something' to name what is being measured or guided. Often used in technical or industrial contexts (safety standards, industry standards, international standards).

4. a much-loved song or musical work that stays popular for many years and is frequ

4.nounB1
Definition

a much-loved song or musical work that stays popular for many years and is frequently performed or covered by different musicians

Example

Tamar sang a jazz standard from the 1940s at the school talent show.

domain: jazz standard

The band's set list included old folk standards that the whole crowd knew by heart.

Common collocations
  • jazz standard
  • old standard
  • play a standard
  • become a standard
Synonyms
  • classic

    broader; can refer to any creative work of lasting quality

  • oldie

    informal; an old song or film still enjoyed

Usage Note

Common in music contexts, especially with genres like jazz, folk, pop, and blues. Often modified by the genre name: 'jazz standard', 'blues standard'.

5. a car in which the driver changes gear using a stick and a foot-operated clutch,

5.nounB1
Definition

a car in which the driver changes gear using a stick and a foot-operated clutch, rather than an automatic system

Example

Hugo prefers driving a standard because he can shift gears manually for better control on the mountain roads.

informal register: 'a standard' = manual car

Rafael learned to shift gears in heavy traffic on an old standard transmission car.

Common collocations
  • drive a standard
  • learn on a standard
  • buy a standard
Synonyms
  • manual

    more common in British English; the standard term

  • stick shift

    informal, used mainly in American English

Antonyms

Usage Note

Short for 'standard transmission'. Mostly used informally in North America. In the UK, 'manual' is more common than 'standard' for this sense.

6. a long narrow flag, often with two pointed ends, used as the official symbol of

6.nounB2
Definition

a long narrow flag, often with two pointed ends, used as the official symbol of a military unit, a royal family, or a state

Example

The soldiers marched behind the regimental standard during the national day parade.

domain: military standard

The king's standard flew above the palace to show that he was in residence.

Common collocations
  • regimental standard
  • bear a standard
  • raise the standard
  • royal standard
Synonyms
  • banner

    a long strip of cloth bearing a symbol or message, often hung vertically

  • ensign

    a flag flown on ships to show nationality

  • pennant

    a long, narrow triangular flag, used especially on ships

Usage Note

This is a historical or ceremonial sense, more specific than the general word 'flag'. Typically refers to a banner carried in battle or displayed at official events.

standard — adjective

Word family

  • standardize
    verbB2
  • standardization
    nounC1
  • substandard
    adjectiveB2
  • nonstandard
    adjectiveC1
  • standardly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words refer to something used for comparison or judgement, but they differ in how concrete or formal they are. A 'standard' is the broadest term — it can be a level of quality (noun sense 1) or a model others follow (noun sense 3). A 'criterion' (plural 'criteria') is a specific principle or test used to make a judgement; it is more formal and technical than 'standard'. A 'benchmark' is a fixed reference point used for comparison, especially in business and education, and often implies a goal to reach or exceed. A 'norm' is what is typical or expected in a group, carrying less of a judgement about quality. A 'yardstick' is informal and metaphorical, like a measuring stick for deciding if something is good enough. For example: 'The committee set high standards for the project. One key criterion was cost. The industry benchmark was a 15% return. The norm in the team was to work 40 hours. A good yardstick of success is customer satisfaction.'

standard ↗criterion ↗benchmark ↗norm ↗yardstick

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • up to standard
  • below standard
  • set a standard
  • meet standards
  • raise the standard
  • by any standard

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchGermanicMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'standard' entered English through Old French 'estandard', meaning a rallying point or a banner around which soldiers gathered in battle. This French word likely combined two Germanic roots: 'standan' (to stand) and 'hard' (a place or a fixed point). In medieval warfare, a standard was a flag carried into battle — troops would 'rally to the standard'. Over time, the word shifted from a physical banner to the idea of something fixed that people gather around or measure things against. By the 15th century, 'standard' was used for official weights and measures, and later for any accepted level of quality.