baseline.

1. An initial or reference value used to assess later change.

2. A line used as a fixed spatial reference for measurement or play.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• baseline measurement
• establish a baseline

On the page

The first survey established a baseline for later evaluation.

Usage notes

Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: Singular baseline; plural baselines. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation. Commonness: common.