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View synonyms for criterion

criterion

[ krahy-teer-ee-uhn ]

noun

, plural cri·te·ri·a [krahy-, teer, -ee-, uh], cri·te·ri·ons.
  1. a standard of judgment or criticism; a rule or principle for evaluating or testing something.

    Synonyms: yardstick, touchstone, measure



criterion

/ kraɪˈtɪərɪən /

noun

  1. a standard by which something can be judged or decided
  2. philosophy a defining characteristic of something


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Usage Note

Like some other nouns borrowed from the Greek, criterion has both a Greek plural, criteria, and a plural formed on the English pattern, criterions. However, the -s plural is rarely used; the plural ending in -a is the usual form: These are the criteria for the selection of candidates. Though criteria is properly a plural noun, it is increasingly used as a singular noun, most often in speech but also occasionally in edited prose: One criteria is that the candidate must be over 18. This use of criteria as a singular noun is generally considered incorrect.

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Usage

Criteria, the plural of criterion, is not acceptable as a singular noun: this criterion is not valid; these criteria are not valid

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Other Words From

  • cri·te·ri·al adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of criterion1

First recorded in 1605–15; from Greek kritḗrion “a standard,” equivalent to kri- variant stem of krī́nein “to separate, decide” + -tērion neuter suffix of means (akin to Latin -tōrium -tory 2 )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of criterion1

C17: from Greek kritērion from kritēs judge, from krinein to decide

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

There was never any one criterion for how every trombone or tenor saxophone or singer should sound.

Twenty years ago, I wrote a critique/appreciation of JM Keynes for the New Criterion.

But we have excluded cases in which there were three fatalities and the shooter also died, per the previous criterion.

According to this criterion, Arab citizens, affiliated with the Palestinian people, inevitably lose out.

He lost on just one criterion, by a landslide 81 points to 18.

Jamie Boswell contended that cookery was the criterion of reason; for that no animal but man did cook.

This story was a favourite with Abershawe: it afforded him a reliable criterion of his unholy prowess.

The public seemed to be in that enthusiastic mood which is the true criterion of the success of a work.

But the nimbus was not worn at all at this early period; such a criterion is therefore inadmissible.

The position of the loads which gives the greatest moment at C may be settled by the criterion given above.

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petrichor

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criteriacriterium