What is the meaning of litmus test?

noun

  • A coloring material (obtained from lichens) that turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions; used as a very rough acid-base indicator.
  • A test that relies on a single indicator.
    • usage: "her litmus test for good breeding is whether you split infinitives"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). litmus test. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/litmus_test/definitions/1219210
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "litmus test" http://smartdefine.org/litmus_test/definitions/1219210 (accessed September 20, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, litmus test, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/litmus_test/definitions/1219210>.
MLAWordNet. "litmus test" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/litmus_test/definitions/1219210>