litmus test
noun
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Litmus Test Has Scientific Origins
It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not.
Examples of litmus test in a Sentence
Ryan Hass, Time, 30 May 2025
Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs, Week 2 In addition to a Super Bowl 59 rematch, this game will be an early season litmus test for the Chiefs’ offensive line.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 15 May 2025
Multiple states are gearing up for competitive gubernatorial elections next year, which will offer a litmus test for the parties on voter sentiment.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 6 May 2025
The denial Saturday by the Wisconsin court of appeals is the latest twist in Musk’s deep involvement in the race, which has set a record for spending in a judicial election and has become a litmus test for the opening months of Donald Trump’s presidency.
—Thomas Beaumont, Twin Cities, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for litmus test
Cite this Entry
“Litmus test.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litmus%20test. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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