milestone
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an important event or stage in the development of something, like a person's life or a project.
n.a significant stage or event in the development of something; often used metaphorically for personal, historical, or professional progress.
Simple“Learning to walk is a major milestone in a baby's development.”
In context“The signing of the peace treaty represented a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between the two neighbouring countries.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
v.to plan a project by breaking it into several big, important steps.
v.to schedule or structure a project according to a series of specific, measurable goals or stages.
Simple“We need to milestone the software update to ensure we finish on time.”
In context“The project manager decided to milestone the development phase to provide the stakeholders with clear evidence of incremental progress.”
Usageoften used in project management contexts
“Whether you’ve secured your first-choice place, are exploring options through clearing, or are still deciding what’s right for you, this is an important milestone and you should be proud of what you’ve achieved.”
“That long search reached a major milestone in 2023, when we identified an 84.1-meter-tall (276-foot-tall) Taiwania fir ( Taiwania cryptomerioides ).”
From mile + stone. Compare Dutch mijlsteen (“milestone”), German Low German Mielensteen (“milestone”), German Meilenstein (“milestone”), Swedish milsten (“milestone”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.