critical state

American  

[krit-i-kuhl steyt] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl ˈsteɪt /

noun

Physics.

1. the state of a pure element or compound when it is at a critical point.

   critical states of superconductor multilayers.

---

critical state British  

noun

1. Also called: critical point.  the state of a substance in which two of its phases have the same temperature, pressure, and volume

---

critical state Scientific  

1. The state of matter of a substance at its critical point.

---

Etymology

Origin of critical state

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

After two years of war, its hospitals have been left in a critical state.

From BBC

Watching performers like Stan and Moore talk about the critical state of cinema and its changing guard was a major get for anyone who loves entertainment already.

From Salon

In Arizona, another critical state, the stakes have never felt higher for Mohyeddin Abdulaziz, a Palestinian American lawyer and the co-founder of the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance.

From Slate

On Sunday, Harris was in Philadelphia, the largest city in the critical state of Pennsylvania.

From Los Angeles Times

Higher temperatures, extreme weather, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels -- all indicators that the climate and the world's ice masses are in a critical state.

From Science Daily