critical
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From the suffix -al and Latin criticus, from Ancient Greek κριτικός (kritikos, “of or for judging, able to discern”) < κρίνω (krinō, “I separate, judge”), also the root of crisis).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
critical (comparative more critical, superlative most critical)
- Inclined to find fault or criticize; fastidious; captious; censorious; exacting.
- A good teacher is fair but critical.
- Pertaining to, or indicating, a crisis or turning point.
- This is a critical moment.
- Extremely important.
- It's critical that you deliver this on time.
- Relating to criticism or careful analysis, such as literary or film criticism.
- The movie was a critical success, but bombed at the box-office.
- (medicine) Of a patient condition involving unstable vital signs and a prognosis that predicts the condition could worsen; or, a patient condition that requires urgent treatment in an intensive care or critical care medical facility.
- The patient's condition is critical.
- Likely to go out of control if disturbed, that is, opposite of stable.
- The political situation was so critical that the government declared the state of siege.
- Of the point (in temperature, reagent concentration etc.) where a nuclear or chemical reaction becomes self-sustaining.
- The reaction was about to become critical.
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from critical
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
inclined to find fault
pertaining to or indicating a crisis
extremely important
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relating to criticism
of the point where a reaction becomes self-sustaining
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
[edit] See also
Critical on Wikipedia.Wikipedia- Medical state on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Medical state
[edit] External links
- critical in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- critical in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- critical at OneLook Dictionary Search
