criterion

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek κριτήριον (kritḗrion, “a test, a means of judging”), from κριτής (kritḗs, “a judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “I judge”); see critic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kɹaɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/, /kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

criterion (plural criteria)

  1. A standard or test by which individual things or people may be compared and judged.
    Criterion of choice, of decision, of selection
    • 2013 November 30, Paul Davis, “Letters: Say it as simply as possible”, in The Economist‎, volume 409, number 8864:
      Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?

Usage notes

  • The plural form criterions also exists, but is much less common.
  • The form criteria is sometimes used as a nonstandard singular form (as in a criteria, this criteria, and so on), with corresponding plural form criterias. In this use, it sometimes means “a single criterion”, sometimes “a set of criteria”.

Translations

Further reading

  • criterion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • criterion in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

Latin

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /kriˈte.ri.on/, [krɪˈtɛ.ri.õ]

Noun

criterion n (genitive criteriī); second declension

  1. criterion

Inflection

Second declension, Greek type.

Case Singular Plural
nominative criterion criteria
genitive criteriī criteriōrum
dative criteriō criteriīs
accusative criterion criteria
ablative criteriō criteriīs
vocative criterion criteria

Descendants

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