benchmark

English Online Dictionary. What means benchmark‎? What does benchmark mean?

English

Alternative forms

• bench mark

Etymology

From bench +‎ mark. Originally (attested circa 1842) a mark cut into a stone by land surveyors to secure a "bench" (from 19th century land surveying jargon, meaning a type of bracket), to mount measuring equipment. Figurative sense attested circa 1884.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/
• Hyphenation: bench‧mark

Noun

benchmark (plural benchmarks)

1. A standard by which something is evaluated or measured.
2. A surveyor's mark made on some stationary object and shown on a map; used as a reference point.
3. (computing) A computer program that is executed to assess the performance of the runtime environment.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

benchmark (third-person singular simple present benchmarks, present participle benchmarking, simple past and past participle benchmarked)

1. (transitive) To measure the performance or quality of (an item) relative to another similar item in an impartial scientific manner.
   1. (intransitive, followed by at) To give certain results in a benchmark test.
   2. (transitive, intransitive, followed by against) To use something (e.g., a competitor's product) as a standard to improve one's own thing.

Synonyms

• (UK) kitemark
• yardstick

Derived terms

References