Definition

1. Noun (plural of ):
   • Standards for judgment: criteria are the principles or standards by which something is judged or decided.
   • Requirements or conditions: criteria can also refer to specific requirements or conditions that must be met for something to be considered valid or acceptable.

Usage Examples

• (They applied multiple standards for judgment.)
• (Applicants must satisfy the fundamental requirements.)
• (The standards are fixed and mandatory.)

Advanced Usage

• "to meet the criteria": to satisfy the required standards.

  • Only projects that meet the criteria will receive funding. (Only those that fulfill the conditions will be supported.)

• "criteria for success": the standards that define whether something is successful.

  • Profitability and customer satisfaction are key criteria for success. (These two factors determine success.)

• "subjective criteria": standards based on personal opinion rather than objective facts.

  • Beauty is often judged by subjective criteria. (It depends on individual taste, not measurable facts.)

Variants and Related Words

• Criterion (noun, singular): one standard or principle used for judgment.

  • Each criterion must be evaluated separately. (Each individual standard is examined on its own.)

• Criterial (adjective): relating to or serving as a criterion.

  • The criterial factors for this test include accuracy and speed. (The factors that serve as standards.)

• Criteriology (noun, formal): the study or theory of criteria, especially in philosophy.

  • Criteriology examines how we establish standards for knowledge. (It investigates the basis of criteria.)

Synonyms

• Standards: established norms or requirements.
• Benchmarks: points of reference for measuring quality or performance.
• Metrics: measurable indicators used for evaluation.
• Guidelines: general rules or principles for making decisions.

Related Idioms

• "set the criteria": to establish the standards for something.

  • The board set the criteria for the new policy. (They defined the requirements.)

• "fit the criteria": to match the required standards.

  • Does this applicant fit our criteria? (Does the applicant meet our requirements?)

Grammar Note

• is the plural form; the singular is . Using as a singular noun (e.g., "this criteria is important") is considered incorrect in formal English, though it is common in informal speech.