# landmark

/ˈɫændˌmɑɹk/ (US) · /lˈændmɑːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/landmark
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. recognizable feature

noun · CEFR B1

a building or natural feature that is easy to see and helps you know where you are.

For teachers: a prominent or conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide for travellers or for identifying a location.

- The Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark in Paris.
- Sailors once relied on that jagged coastal cliff as a vital landmark to navigate the treacherous entrance to the bay.

### 2. significant event

noun · CEFR B2

an important stage or event in the development of something.

For teachers: an event, discovery, or change that marks an important stage or turning point in a process.

- The invention of the lightbulb was a landmark in human history.
- The 1964 Civil Rights Act stands as a landmark of social legislation that fundamentally altered the American legal landscape.

### 3. boundary marker

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an object, like a stone or tree, used to show where a piece of land ends.

For teachers: a physical object used to mark the boundary of a property or territory.

- The old oak tree served as a landmark between the two farms for centuries.
- The surveyors searched for the original stone landmark mentioned in the eighteenth-century deed to resolve the property dispute.

### 4. to protect a building

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Formal

to officially name a building as a landmark so it cannot be destroyed.

For teachers: to grant a building or site official status as a landmark, typically to ensure its preservation.

- The city council voted to landmark the historic theatre to save it from developers.
- Preservationists are campaigning to landmark the mid-century industrial complex before the demolition permits are approved.

Usage: The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.