standard

Definition

Falling within an accepted range of size, amount, power, quality, etc.

Etymology

From Middle English standard, from Old French estandart (“gathering place, battle flag”), from Frankish *standahard (literally “stand firm, stand hard”), equivalent to stand + -ard. An alternative etymology derives the second element from Frankish *oʀd (“point, spot, place”) (compare Old French ordé (“pointed”), Old English ord (“point, source, vanguard”), German Standort (“location, place, site, position, base”, literally “standing-point”)). Merged with Middle English standar, stander, standere (“flag, banner”, literally “stander”), equivalent to stand + -er. More at stand, hard, ord. As a hill-naming term possibly a calque from Cumbric; equivalent to Welsh lluman (“standard”), arising with confusion with the hill-naming element llumon (“chimney”).

Example Sentences

• "There are women who cannot grow alone as standard trees;—for whom the support and warmth of some wall, some paling, some post, is absolutely necessary […]."
• "standard works in history; standard authors"
• "Although marketed by Daimler as standard equipment, Triton requested that Daimler deliver the 2022 truck-tractor without collision avoidance technology. As a result, Triton received a cost discount on its truck order, which included this truck. Triton told the NTSB that the owner and several of the drivers had field-tested an earlier version of the equipment, and they did not like its performance."

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