criterion

American  

[krahy-teer-ee-uhn] / kraɪˈtɪər i ən /

Rarely criterium

noun

criteria, plural criterions plural

1. a standard of judgment or criticism; a rule or principle for evaluating or testing something.

   Synonyms:

   yardstick, touchstone, measure

---

criterion British  

/ kraɪˈtɪərɪən /

noun

1. a standard by which something can be judged or decided

2. philosophy a defining characteristic of something

---

Usage

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.

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

Synonym Usage

See standard.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• criterial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• criteria
  plural
• criterions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of criterion

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 )

Explanation

A criterion is a standard for judging something. If you are holding a cupcake competition, your number one criterion might be the smoothness of frosting. A criterion is a category for judging, but can also be a prerequisite for an achievement. It might be an application requirement for a teaching job that you have taught already for two years. If you haven’t, then we say you haven’t "met the criterion" for job experience. Likewise, if you establish the model for something, say you deliver an exciting, profound graduation speech, we might say you "set the criterion" for future speakers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

criterion criteria criterions

First, we got a “speedy deletion” criterion for A.I. images, allowing editors not to spend a whole week on a deletion discussion.

From Slate ● Apr. 1, 2026

Fewer Lyme disease cases were accrued over the study period than anticipated, and the pre-determined statistical criterion wasn’t met in the primary endpoint.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

With those prices, no wonder Luminate seems to have made popularity — and thus financial resources — a core criterion for eligibility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 8, 2025

However, few enough stocks passed the screen that we excluded this criterion.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 3, 2025

After slavery, she continues, color persisted as the most obvious and so the most important criterion for establishing a social hierarchy in black society.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

"And those are precisely the criteria where we realise we can't really get to know the person," he continued.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

“That one piece of criteria is often the one that beats everything else.”

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

Since the 2010s, UC has also updated its course criteria to match statewide academic standards, such as Common Core math standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

South Korean authorities consider several criteria in deciding whether insects can be approved as food.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Everyone is dealt four cards, one from each suit: education, income, occupation, and wealth, the four commonly used criteria for gauging class.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

The plural of phenomenon and criterion are phenomena, criteria, although criterions is sometimes employed.

From Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking by Bechtel, John Hendricks

Those are the criterions of political changes in England-but, as my conversion is of foreign extraction, I shall not be the richer for it.

From The Letters of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford — Volume 4 by Walpole, Horace

The people she served were mostly women whose dress, manners, and position in the social world were quoted as criterions.

From The Trimmed Lamp, and other Stories of the Four Million by Henry, O.

These constants, while they vary somewhat with any particular oil or fat, are more applicable to the edible products and are criterions where any adulteration of fat or oil is suspected.

From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by Thomssen, E. G.

But if these be fallible criterions, we will notice another that seldom deceives us. 

From The Rain Cloud or, An Account of the Nature, Properties, Dangers and Uses of Rain in Various Parts of the World by Tomlinson, Charles

Related Words

• benchmark
• norm
• precedent
• principle
• proof
• touchstone
• yardstick