baseline

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈbeɪˌslaɪn/ 🇺🇸 /ˈbeɪˌslaɪn/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A line that serves as a basis for measurement, comparison, or evaluation; a starting point or reference point.; In typography, the imaginary line upon which the bottoms of most letters in a line of text rest.; In tennis and other court sports, the line at each end of the court that marks the boundary of play.; In baseball, the imaginary line between consecutive bases that a runner must stay within.; In surveying and geodesy, a measured line used as a reference for triangulation or other measurements.; In medicine and pharmacology, the initial measurement of a patient's condition before treatment begins, used for comparison with subsequent measurements.; In project management and software engineering, an approved version of a plan, specification, or product that serves as a reference for future changes.; In statistics and data analysis, a reference value or set of values against which other data points are compared.; In electronics and signal processing, the reference level from which a signal's amplitude is measured.; In basketball, the end line at each end of the court.
  2. verb
    To establish a baseline or reference point for measurement or comparison.
  3. adjective
    Serving as or relating to a baseline; fundamental or minimum.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: baselines 3rd sing.: baselines Past: baselined Past part.: baselined Pres part.: baselining

Collocations

establish a baselinebaseline measurementbaseline databaseline assessmentbaseline studyabove baselinebelow baseline

Derivatives

baselining

Synonyms

benchmarkreference pointstandardstarting pointyardstick

Commonly confused

benchmark
EN: 'Benchmark' is a standard or point of reference used for comparison, while 'baseline' is the initial measurement or starting point from which change is assessed.
base line
EN: 'Baseline' (one word) is the standard term in most contexts; 'base line' (two words) is sometimes used in sports (e.g., tennis) to refer to the line at the end of the court.

Spelling tips

EN: Write 'baseline' as one word in most contexts. The two-word form 'base line' is occasionally seen in sports terminology but is nonstandard elsewhere.

💬 Examples

  1. The researchers established a baseline before beginning the clinical trial.

  2. The descenders of letters like 'g' and 'y' extend below the baseline.

  3. She hit a powerful forehand from the baseline to win the point.

  4. The runner was called out for straying too far from the baseline.

  5. The surveyors carefully measured the baseline before beginning the triangulation.

  6. The patient's baseline blood pressure was recorded before administering the medication.

  7. Any changes to the requirements must be approved against the current baseline.

  8. The average temperature over the past thirty years serves as the baseline for climate change studies.

  9. The oscilloscope showed the signal oscillating above and below the baseline.

  10. He drove along the baseline and finished with a layup.