Capstone

n.capable, joyfulprofessional

What it means

A crowning achievement that completes a substantial body of work.

Reach for it when naming the culminating project or accomplishment in a longer effort

The public recital served as a capstone to four years of study.

playful
finishing touch
one last addition completes the whole
not when A finishing touch is usually small and understates a major capstone project.
everyday
finale
a performance or event ends a series memorably
not when Finale suits events and music, not an academic project or final structural element.
warm
crowning achievement
the finest accomplishment in a body of work deserves praise
not when This phrase claims top rank, while a capstone may simply complete the sequence.
formal
culmination
the final result of a developing process is central
not when Culmination need not be an achievement or a designed concluding piece.
formal
summation
the final work gathers and expresses what came before
not when Summation stresses synthesis rather than a concrete achievement.
literary
pinnacle
the highest point of achievement is meant
not when A pinnacle can occur before the end and need not integrate earlier work.

capstone project
Her capstone project paired oral histories with an accessible map.
capstone course
The capstone course required students to solve a live client problem.
serve as a capstone
The exhibition will serve as a capstone to the residency.
capstone experience
The field clinic became a capstone experience for the trainees.

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.