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   Thresh·old

   /ˈTHreSHˌ(h)ōld/

   

   noun

   • 1. a strip of wood, metal, or stone forming the bottom of a doorway and crossed in entering a house or room: "he stood on the threshold of Sheila's bedroom" Similar doorstepsilldoorsilldoorwayentranceentryway indoorgategatewayportalapproach
   • ▪ a point of entry or beginning: "she was on the threshold of a dazzling career" Similar startstarting pointbeginningbrinkvergeedgedawnbirthorigininceptionconceptionopeninglaunchinaugurationinstitutioninitiationdebutcreationday oneinformal:kickoffformal:commencementOpposite end
   • ▪ the beginning of an airport runway on which an aircraft is attempting to land.
   • 2. the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested: "nothing happens until the signal passes the threshold"
   • ▪ the maximum level of radiation or a concentration of a substance considered to be acceptable or safe: "their water would meet the safety threshold of 50 milligrams of nitrates per liter" Similar lower limitstarting pointminimummarginlimen
   • ▪ a limit below which a stimulus causes no reaction: "everyone has a different pain threshold"
   • ▪ a level, rate, or amount at which something comes into effect: "the tax threshold has risen to $10,492 of adjusted gross income"

   Word Origin Old Englishtherscold, threscold; related to German dialect Drischaufel; the first element is related to thresh (in a Germanic sense ‘tread’), but the origin of the second element is unknown.

   Scrabble Points: 16

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