milestone
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milestone
A decisive event or important advance in a development that marks a turning point.
Die Entdeckung des Penicillins war ein Meilenstein in der Medizingeschichte.
The discovery of penicillin was a milestone in the history of medicine.
The word is a clear compound of 'Meile' (mile) and 'Stein' (stone). Originally, it was a stone that indicated the distance in miles. This literal meaning helps you understand the figurative meaning of an important point in a development.
Die Erfindung des Buchdrucks war ein Meilenstein für die Verbreitung von Wissen.
The invention of printing was a milestone for the spread of knowledge.
The figurative meaning of an important advance is much more common today. You will usually find the literal meaning as a distance stone only in historical texts or when describing old paths and roads.
Die erste Mondlandung war ein Meilenstein für die Raumfahrt.
The first moon landing was a milestone for space travel.
In the figurative meaning, 'Meilenstein' (milestone) is often combined with 'wichtig' (important) or 'entscheidend' (decisive). Common phrases are 'ein Meilenstein für etwas sein' (to be a milestone for something), 'einen Meilenstein setzen' (to set a milestone), or 'einen Meilenstein darstellen' (to represent a milestone).
Der Abschluss des Projekts ist ein wichtiger Meilenstein für unser Unternehmen.
The completion of the project is an important milestone for our company.
progress
'Fortschritt' and 'Meilenstein' can both be part of a positive development. 'Fortschritt' describes the development itself: something gets better or you move forward step by step. A 'Meilenstein', on the other hand, is a particularly important point in this development, for example a major success or a turning point. Learners may confuse the words because a milestone is often also progress. As a practical rule: 'Fortschritt' is the path forward, while 'Meilenstein' is an important point on that path.
Der erste selbst geschriebene Bericht war für Anna ein wichtiger Meilenstein.
The first report Anna wrote by herself was an important milestone for her.
Beim Deutschlernen sieht man den Fortschritt oft erst nach einigen Wochen.
When learning German, you often only see the progress after a few weeks.