Meaning & use

criterion

noun·Academic

Last updated

A standard or principle by which something is judged or decided.

See it in a sentence

Experience was the main criterion for selecting the new manager.

The judges applied several criteria to score each entry fairly.

A note on using this word

'Criterion' is singular; its plural form is 'criteria,' and using 'criteria' to mean a single standard is a common mistake.

Words with a similar meaning

standardbenchmark

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