gold standard

Definitions

1. A monetary system where the value of circulating money is linked to the value of gold.
2. The highest or most reliable benchmark against which all others in a category are judged or measured.
   figuratively

Equivalents

Examples

“In countries that accepted the gold standard, currency could be exchanged at a bank for a fixed weight of gold.”

“The OED is the gold standard for English dictionaries.”

“YC’s gold standard for revenue growth is ten per cent a week, which compounds to 142x a year.”

CEFR level