Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A prominent identifying feature of a landscape.
  • noun A fixed marker, such as a concrete block, that indicates a boundary line.
  • noun An event marking an important stage of development or a turning point in history.
  • noun A building or site with historical significance, especially one marked for preservation by a municipal or national government.
  • adjective Having great import or significance.
  • transitive verb To accord the status of a landmark to; declare to be a landmark.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A boundary-mark to a tract of land; one of the fixed objects used to designate the limits of a farm, town, or other piece of territory, as monumental stones, marked trees, or ditches.
  • noun Any specific or prominent object marking a locality or historically associated with a locality; a hill, tree, house, or other feature of a landscape that may serve as a guide; especially, some object on land by which a locality may be recognized by persons at sea.
  • noun Figuratively, a distinguishing characteristic, variation, or event; that which marks a turning-point; something that serves to distinguish a particular period of time or point in progress or transition: as, the landmarks of science or history.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A mark to designate the boundary of land; any mark or fixed object (as a marked tree, a stone, a ditch, or a heap of stones) by which the limits of a farm, a town, or other portion of territory may be known and preserved.
  • noun Any conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide; some prominent object, as a hill or steeple.
  • noun A structure that has special significance, such as a building with historical associations
  • noun An event or accomplishment of great significance. Also used attributively, as a landmark court decision.
  • noun important events by which eras or conditions are determined.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A recognizable natural or man-made feature used for navigation.
  • noun A notable location with historical, cultural, or geographical significance.
  • noun A major, important event.
  • verb US To officially designate a site or building as a landmark.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an anatomical structure used as a point of origin in locating other anatomical structures (as in surgery) or as point from which measurements can be taken
  • noun an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend
  • noun the position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape
  • noun a mark showing the boundary of a piece of land

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From land + mark.

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Examples

  • Mr. Abhisit has said recently that he plans to dissolve the House of Representatives by Friday and call what he described as a landmark election for the Southeast Asian country, which has been plagued by deep and sometimes deadly political divisions.

    Timeline Uncertain for Thailand Election Dow Jones Newswires 2011

  • LOS ANGELES—After months of public battling, union and city leaders reached what they called a landmark deal Thursday that for the first time forced concessions from a coalition of city unions, and could shape other labor negotiations.

    Los Angeles, Unions Reach Deal Tamara Audi 2011

  • BANGKOK—Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he plans to dissolve the House of Representatives by Friday and call what he described as a landmark election for the Southeast Asian country, which has been plagued by deep and sometimes deadly political divisions.

    Thai Prime Minister to Call Election Leigh Murray 2011

  • Another landmark is the monument to the deer (symbol of the city).

    Mazatlan - not just another resort 2006

  • Another landmark is the monument to the deer (symbol of the city).

    Mazatlan - not just another resort 2006

  • But she said to me, nonetheless, they are laying the groundwork to eventually pass what they call landmark legislation.

    CNN Transcript May 30, 2008 2008

  • The White House issuing a statement a short time ago praising what it termed a landmark agreement with North Korea to shut down its primary nuclear reactor and dismantle its program.

    CNN Transcript Feb 13, 2007 2007

  • Congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma today introduced what they called a landmark immigration reform bill.

    CNN Transcript Jul 18, 2005 2005

  • "Few buildings in New York are more iconic, more beloved, and more worthy of the designation 'landmark' than the Puck Building," he said, "and thus any proposed changes must be held to the highest level of scrutiny."

    NYT > Home Page By DAVID W. DUNLAP 2011

  • AFL has announced what it calls a landmark agreement to broadcast matches live into China.

    The Roar - Your Sports Opinion 2010

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