criteria
Pluralcriterias
- 1Plural of criterion.
Applicants must meet several criteria before being considered.
The committee revised its criteria for funding new projects.
Note
A Greek plural kept in English: criterion follows the Ancient Greek pattern in which a noun ending in -on takes -a in the plural. Because that ending looks foreign to English eyes, agreement is the thing to watch: the criteria are strict, these criteria, many criteria. One standard is a criterion, and the singular use is what careful writers avoid.
- 2A single standard or test by which something is judged or decided.
Affordability was the deciding criteria when the family chose a new home.
The panel added one more criteria to its review process this year.
Similarfactor, standard, requirement, benchmark
Note
Here the Greek plural is heard as an ordinary English singular: one criteria, the criteria is. The usage is nonstandard and widely proscribed, so in edited or formal writing use criterion for one standard and criteria for several. Once criteria is felt as singular, a fresh plural, criterias, can follow. It carries the same stigma and is best avoided for the same reason.
criteria is a form of criterion
criterion, noun: A standard, test, or requirement by which things or people can be compared and judged. Full entry
- Forms
- criterioncriteria plural
- Spelling
- criterion → criteria: irregular plural (no -s)
Use it in a sentence
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Origin
This is the plural form of "criterion," formed by the Ancient Greek pluralisation pattern that changes -ον (-on) to -α (-a).