landmark
n. countablen. a famous building or object that is easy to see and helps you know where you are. It can also mean an important event that marks a big change.
n. a prominent object or structure that serves as a point of orientation; figuratively, a significant event or discovery that marks a turning point in a process. Often used to denote historical or architectural importance.
The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in Paris.
The court's decision was a landmark in the fight for civil rights, changing the law for everyone.
Navigating the dense forest proved difficult without any visible landmarks to guide the hikers toward the base camp before sunset.
From Middle English landmark, from Old English landmearc (“boundary”), from Proto-West Germanic landamarku (“boundary, landmark”). Equivalent to land + mark. Cognate with German Landmarke (“landmark”), Danish landemærke (“landmark”), Swedish landmärke (“landmark”), Norwegian landemerke (“landmark”) and Faroese landamark (“land frontier”). Compare also Middle English londes-mark (“boundary”).
Commonly used as a noun adjunct to modify other nouns, such as in 'landmark ruling' or 'landmark legislation'.