threshold
UK: ˈθreʃ.həʊld | US: ˈθreʃ.hoʊld
n. 1. The strip of wood or stone at the bottom of a doorway, crossed when entering a building.
n. 2. The point at which a stimulus is strong enough to produce a response (e.g., pain threshold).
n. 3. The beginning of a new state or condition (e.g., on the threshold of adulthood).
threshold = thresh<to tread, beat> + hold<base, support>
- thresh (Old English þerscan, meaning "to tread, beat, or separate grain by trampling")
- hold (Old English healdan, meaning "to support or maintain")
Etymology Origin:
The word "threshold" originates from Old English þrescold or þerxold, combining "thresh" (related to trampling or treading) and "hold" (a base or foundation). Historically, it referred to the part of the floor where grain was threshed (trampled), later evolving to denote the entrance of a home—a literal and symbolic boundary. Over time, its meaning expanded to abstract limits (e.g., sensory or psychological thresholds).
She paused at the threshold before stepping into the dimly lit room.
The noise reached a threshold where it became unbearable.
Scientists study the pain threshold to understand human sensitivity.
The country stands on the threshold of economic reform.
A faint light seeped under the threshold of the door.