Milestone
/ˈmaɪl.stoʊn/noun
A stone marker placed along a road to indicate distance.
Did you know?A milestone was originally a physical stone placed beside Roman roads to measure distance, and later the word evolved into the modern idea of a life-changing turning point.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“to crush, grind, or measure out”
Latin
Latin
mīlia passuum
“a thousand paces, the Roman mile”
Late Latin
Latin
mīliārium
“a stone marking a Roman mile”
Old English
English
mīl
“mile”
Middle English
English
myleston / mile-ston
“a stone set up to mark a mile”
Modern English
English
milestone
“a marker of distance; later, an important stage or event”