threshold

Forms

Plural: thresholds

Definitions

1.The lowermost part of a doorway that one crosses to enter; a sill.
2.An entrance; the door or gate of a house.
3.Any end or boundary.
4.The outset of something; the point of entry, or the beginning of an action.
- The first half of this century has been referred to as the golden age of medicine. To me it seems more probable that we are on the threshold of a much greater age.

Frequency

Overall

Rare· #4639

By learning goal

Everyday conversation: Rare
General reading & writing: Rare
Academic: Rare
Literature: Rare

Etymology

From Middle English threschwolde, threscholde, from Old English þresċold, þerxold, þrexwold (“doorsill, entryway”), from Proto-Germanic *þreskudlaz, *þreskūþlijaz, *þreskwaþluz, from Proto-Germanic *þreskaną, *þreskwaną (“to thresh, (originally) to tread”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- (“to rub, turn”).