1. (n.) Any conspicuous object on land that serves as a guide; some prominent object, as a hill or steeple\.

2. (n.) A mark to designate the boundary of land; any , mark or fixed object (as a marked tree, a stone, a ditch, or a heap of stones) by which the limits of a farm, a town, or other portion of territory may be known and preserved.

bench mark bookmark cairn cardinal point catstone chief thing climax core cornerstone crisis critical critical point crucial crux essence essential essential matter feature fundamental gist gravamen great point guide guidepost heart high point historic identification important important thing issue kernel keystone lighthouse lightship main point main thing major mark marker material point meat menhir milepost milestone momentous monument notable noteworthy nub pharos pith pivot pivotal platform real issue salient point seamark significant sine qua non substance substantive point the bottom line the point tower turning point watchtower watershed