Do you know the definition of threshold? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word threshold, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language and Collins English Dictionary, the word threshold refers to an architectural partition separating an exterior door or outside door by an enclosing frame that can be opened to allow for room access. This can also refer to a window opening. These are often made of hardwood, and called a horizontal piece of wood.
Threshold can also be used to mean the lowest level of stimulation, lowest member of a framework, offset, minimum intensity or minimal stimulus needed literally or figuratively in a given context. This could refer to a low pain threshold, the threshold of a new career, low boredom threshold or emotion threshold, the threshold of consciousness, a threshold current, a threshold on an income tax bracket or any other absolute threshold. If someone’s salary or pay agreement is below a certain threshold, they are in one tax bracket. You may even see the word threshold in the news, such as the minimum threshold of new coronavirus cases for mask mandates. Threshold can also refer to the starting point of an experience. This word is used in psychology and physiology to refer to a quantitative point or first element as well as a frequency threshold or difference threshold, as well as the threshold effect referring to the value of a signal. Threshold is two syllables – thres-hold.
The word threshold has translations in many different languages. Take a look at this list from Word Sense.
Polish: próg (masc.), przedsionek (masc.)
Georgian: ზღურბლი
Latvian: slieksnis (masc.)
Kyrgyz: босого
Tajik: остона, даргоҳ
Malay: ambang
Dutch: dorpel, drempel
Maori: paewae, paepae, paepaepoto
Bokmål: terskel (masc.), dørstokk (masc.)
Armenian: շեմք, սեմ
Roman: prag (masc.)
Danish: tærskel (common), dørtærskel (common)
Persian: آستان (âstân)
Walloon: soû (masc.)
Urdu: ڈیوڑھی
Estonian: künnis
Cyrillic: праг (masc.)
Arabic: عَتَبَة (fem.)
Hindi: डेवढ़ी (fem.)
Greek: κατώφλι (neut.)
Latgalian: slīksnis (masc.)
Burmese: တံခါးခုံ, ဖိနပ်ချွတ်, အပေါက်ဝ
Japanese: 敷居 (しきい, shikii)
Icelandic: þröskuldur (masc.)
Mongolian: босго
Turkish: eşik
Slovene: prag (masc.)
French: seuil (masc.)
Kazakh: табалдырық
Old East Slavic: порогъ (masc.)
Hebrew: סַף, מִפְתָּן
Bengali: গোবরাট
Indonesian: ambang
Lithuanian: slenkstis (masc.)
Russian: поро́г (masc.)
Korean: 문턱, 문지방
Thai: ธรณีประตู
Turkmen: bosaga
Norman: ché d’la porte (masc.), pas dé l’us (masc.)
Belarusian: паро́г (masc.)
Hungarian: küszöb
Yiddish: שוועל
German: Schwelle (fem.), Türschwelle (fem.)
Bashkir: тупһа, буҫаға
Lao: ທໍຣະນີປະຕູ
Polabian: роrg (masc.)
Bulgarian: праг (masc.)
Cyrillic: прагъ (masc.)
Vietnamese: ngưỡng, ngưỡng cửa
Catalan: llindar (masc.)
Italian: soglia (masc.)
Azeri: astana, kandar
Czech: práh (masc.)
Swedish: tröskel (common)
Upper Sorbian: рrоh (masc.)
Portuguese: limiar (masc.)
Lower Sorbian: prog (masc.)
Volapük: soliad, (house) domasoliad
Albanian: prag (masc.)
Finnish: kynnys
Irish: tairseach (fem.)
Romanian: prag (neut.)
Uzbek: ostona, boʻsagʻa
Macedonian: праг (masc.)
Slovak: prah (masc.)
Mandarin: 門檻, 门槛 (ménkǎn), 門限, 门限 (ménxiàn)
Scottish Gaelic: stairsneach (fem.)
Spanish: umbral (masc.)
Ukrainian: порі́г (masc.)
What is the word origin of the word threshold?
According to Collins English Dictionary and Etymonline, the word threshold has been used since the Middle English Thresshold and Old English therscold, Old English threscold and threscwald. This word is related to the German dialect Drischaufel, Old Norse threskoldr, Old High German driscubli, Old Norse threskǫldr, and Old Swedish thriskuldi. This word is of Indo-European roots.
How can the word threshold be used in a sentence?
Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions. You can also try to make flashcards or quizzes to test your knowledge of different definitions. Try using this word of the day in a sentence today! Below are some different examples of the word threshold to help get you started.
The man had a low threshold of pain – some say this didn’t quite meet the threshold of manhood. He was in a lot of pain when the nurse had to take his urine.
Some believe that since the cost of living has gone up, the threshold price of a home needs to go down.
After the interest rate hike in the overheating economy, central bankers have seen the tipping point of the threshold of the rates people are willing to accept.
The case rate threshold in San Diego has gone down, frustrating some. They believe people still need a mask to mitigate the given effect in facilities.
She was on the threshold of a new life, gating particular things she would need to escape her abusive family. She couldn’t let emotions get the better of her right now. She was ready to be in a new state of mind, no particular rule or particular class to hold her back.
What are synonyms and antonyms of the word threshold?
There are many different words that a person can use in place of the word threshold. These are called synonyms. Synonyms are words and phrases that have the same definition as another given word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your English language vocabulary. Take a look at the below list of synonyms of threshold from Power Thesaurus.
cut-off
door
doorsill
boundary
entrance
threshold value
verge
point
limiting
maximum
sill
foyer
cutoff
cut-off point
border line
inception
limit
opening
start
doorstep
dawn
bound
baseline
lower limit
barrier
thrash
level
brink
limen
portico
ceiling
boundary line
edge
border
threshhold
commencement
borderline
gateway
line
portal
doorway
outset
gate
frontier
porch
beginning
limitation
entry
minimum
starting point
vestibule
entryway
entranceway
doorframe
entree
doorcase
kickoff
provocation
There are also numerous different words that have the opposite meaning of the word threshold. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another great way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Power Thesaurus.
endless sleep
final stage
decease
retirement
closed
everlasting sleep
neverending sleep
death
exit
dying
parenthood
all holiday
servitude
expiration
tail
halt
incline
purpose
unending sleep
finish
ending
period
nadir
finishing
never-ending sleep
final result
closure
passing on
final phase
logical conclusion
last
result
object
middle
Overall, the word threshold means a structural member consisting of a continuous horizontal timber that forms the bottom of a doorway or the sill of a door. The word threshold can also refer to the lower limit of stimulus or thing of sufficient intensity, literally or figuratively. There are many definitions of threshold referring to the excitation of any structure.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.