critic

[ krit-ik ]

/ ˈkrɪt ɪk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR critic ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person who judges, evaluates, or criticizes: a poor critic of men.

a person who judges, evaluates, or analyzes literary or artistic works, dramatic or musical performances, or the like, especially for a newspaper or magazine.

a person who tends too readily to make captious, trivial, or harsh judgments; faultfinder.

Archaic.

criticism.
critique.

Nearby words

cristóbal, crit, crit., criterion, crithidia, critic, critical, critical angle, critical apparatus, critical care unit, critical constant

Origin of critic

1575–85; < Latin criticus < Greek kritikós skilled in judging (adj.), critic (noun), equivalent to krī́t(ēs) judge, umpire (krī́(nein) to separate, decide + -tēs agent suffix) + -ikos -ic

SYNONYMS FOR critic

2 reviewer, judge.

3 censurer, carper.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR critic ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formssu·per·crit·ic, noun

Can be confusedcritic criticism critique

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for critic

“Every critic encounters one book like that,” was his reply.
A Novel Nearly Impossible to Review|Nicholas Mancusi|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But back in the 1990s, that usually took the form of fighting corporate welfare, of which he was an early GOP critic.
John Kasich: The GOP’s Hobbled 2016 Dark Horse|W. James Antle III|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Literary pedigree is or should be a valid concern for any writer or for any critic considering that writer.
Compliments Are Nice, but Enough With the Cormac McCarthy Comparisons|William Giraldi|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This was the Coltrane “sheets of sound” period (a phrase originated by critic Ira Gitler).
The Stacks: John Coltrane’s Mighty Musical Quest|Nat Hentoff|October 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“She follows the war and makes it very much into her business,” noted the critic Harold Bloom.
Brecht's Mercenary Mother Courage Turns 75|Katie Baker|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A critic of the highest order is provided with an Ithuriel spear, which discriminates the sham sentiments from the true.
Hours in a Library, Volume I. (of III.)|Leslie Stephen
Mr. Martin is generally thought of as a critic of social rather than political conditions.
Literature in the Making|Various
Again, there was one French critic who took a more singular way still of expressing his opinion.
Their Majesties' Servants (Volume 3 of 3)|John Doran
One can scarce (scarcely) help smiling at the blindness of this critic.
Practical Exercises in English|Huber Gray Buehler
Long before the critic can pronounce upon its merits, it will be found in the hands of thousands.
The Continental Monthly, Volume V. Issue I|Various

British Dictionary definitions for critic

critic

/ (ˈkrɪtɪk) /

noun

a person who judges something

a professional judge of art, music, literature, etc

a person who often finds fault and criticizes

Word Origin for critic

C16: from Latin criticus, from Greek kritikos capable of judging, from kritēs judge; see criterion

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

critic

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of critic

Examples from the Web for critic

British Dictionary definitions for critic

critic

noun

Word Origin for critic