Landmark
/ˈlændmɑːrk/
nounadjectiveB2
Definition
As a noun, a landmark is a physical place or object that is easy to see and helps people know where they are, like a famous building or natural feature. As an adjective, it describes something very important or a turning point, like a landmark decision or event that changes things significantly.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
A famous or important physical place or object used for navigation or recognition
- •The Statue of Liberty is a famous landmark in New York City.
- •We used the church as a landmark to find the way to the hotel.
- •The mountain was a natural landmark for travelers crossing the region.
An important event, decision, or change that marks a turning point
- •The new law was a landmark decision for environmental protection.
- •Her speech was a landmark moment in the fight for equality.
- •The invention of the internet is a landmark in communication history.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "landmark" like "place" (A1 word), but a very special or famous place that stands out and helps you find your way
- ✓Picture a big tower or statue in a city that everyone knows, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or a tall tree on a path
- ✓It's the feeling of recognizing a place that tells you, "I am here" or "something important happened here"
- ✓Sounds like "LAND-mark" → imagine a mark or sign on the land that shows you where to go or what is important
- ✓Think of stories where heroes reach a special place that changes their journey—a landmark moment in their life
- ✓NOT like "building" (just any structure), a landmark is famous or important and easy to recognize
- ✓NOT like "event" (something that happens), but when used as adjective, landmark means an event that is very important or a turning point
- ✓NOT like "sign" (small, simple), a landmark is big, clear, and well-known
Try Other Words
- •Monument: a building or statue made to remember a person or event (Use when the landmark is a physical structure made to honor something)
- •Milestone: an important event or stage in progress (Use when referring to important events or achievements rather than places)
- •Marker: something that shows position or direction (Use when the object is small or less famous)
- •Icon: a symbol or person representing something important (Use when emphasizing fame or symbolic meaning)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "land" (ground, earth) + "mark" (sign, symbol)
- •Etymology: Comes from Old English words meaning a sign or boundary on land
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe boundary signs or natural features that marked land areas; later expanded to famous places or important events
- •Modern usage: Used both for well-known places that help people find locations and for important events or decisions that change history or ideas
- •Interesting fact: In navigation, landmarks help travelers know where they are without maps or technology
Reflect & Connect
•What places or events in your life do you think are landmarks, and why?
•How does the idea of a landmark help people understand history or find their way in a new place?
Fill in the blanks
1.We used the old church as a landmark because it was ___ from far away and easy to recognize.
2.The court's decision was a landmark because it ___ a big change in the law.
3.Unlike small signs, a landmark is usually ___ and well known.
4.When traveling in the countryside, natural landmarks like mountains or rivers help people ___ their location.
5.The invention of the telephone was a landmark event that ___ how people communicate.
6.People often take photos in front of landmarks to remember their ___.
7.A landmark decision often ___ important new rules or ideas that affect many people.