Meaning

noun a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated

noun the ideal in terms of which something can be judged

noun a board measure = 1980 board feet

originFrom 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,…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0