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

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criterion British  

/ 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

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

And allowing the runner-up to pick up the baton after the winner withdrew would be a simple criterion for the party to move forward.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

“My first criterion is: Has the hospice been around for longer than 15 years?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026

However, the predetermined statistical criterion was not met in the primary endpoint.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 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

He was groping towards Right as a criterion of its own—towards Justice as an abstract thing which did not lean upon power.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

“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

Two stars denote restaurants that do "excellent cooking" and are "worth a detour", according to Michelin's criteria.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

They consider a range of subjective criteria: whether a proposed project is out of character with existing buildings, or out of scale, or blocks too much light.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

We have three criteria for judging a cow.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola

They appreciate not the understandings of one another by such manual and muscular criterions.

From The Wanderer (Volume 3 of 5) or, Female Difficulties by Burney, Fanny

They look deeper, and find other criterions whereby to judge.

From The Young Man's Guide by Alcott, William A. (William Andrus)

These, for the advantage of the public, ought to be universally the same throughout the kingdom; being the general criterions which reduce all things to the same or an equivalent value.

From Commentaries on the Laws of England Book the First by Blackstone, William, Sir

Simply that I am I, that I have lived through certain experiences, that I have certain criterions of taste and judgment that you have not.

From The Locusts' Years by Fee, Mary Helen

There are two sound criterions for judging the correctness of vocal action,—first, the ease of the action, its naturalness, its flexibility.

From Resonance in Singing and Speaking by Fillebrown, Thomas

Related Words

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