critic

1 of 2

noun (1)

crit·​ic ˈkri-tik 

1

a

: one who engages often professionally in the analysis, evaluation, or appreciation of works of art or artistic performances

a literary critic

a film critic

a theater critic

b

: one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique

Critics of the new law say that it will not reduce crime.

2

: one given to harsh or captious judgment

a fierce critic of immigration policies

critic

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

archaic : criticism

2

archaic : critique

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• carper
• castigator
• caviler
• caviller
• censurer
• criticizer
• disparager
• faultfinder
• hypercritic
• knocker
• niggler
• nitpicker

Examples of critic in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the president's hard-core critics are going to attack him no matter what he does

the restaurant critic said that the fries at that fast-food outlet were the worst she'd ever eaten

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Simitis’ critics on the right and left did their best to denigrate his legacy, highlighting a dubious debt swap concluded after the country had joined the Eurozone as an attempt to massage the debt numbers. —Demetris Nellas, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2025

Several guests approached Caspar—Simon and Richard, two of Galina’s former colleagues in the English department, and Elaine, a literary critic. —Brandon Taylor, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2025

Brie Larson made a comment about male movie critics that was blown wildly out of proportion, and Captain Marvel was bombed so hard Rotten Tomatoes instituted policies to verify audience movie scores to prevent this. —Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025

Some Black critics, including W. E. B. Du Bois, denounced his Black separatist views and his relationship with the Ku Klux Klan, who shared Garvey's goal of racial separatism. —Delano Massey, Axios, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from Latin criticus, borrowed from Greek kritikós, derivative of kritikós, adjective, "discerning, capable of judging," from kritós "separated, picked out" (verbal adjective of krī́nein "to separate, choose, decide, judge") + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at certain entry 1

Noun (2)

borrowed from French critique critique entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun (2)

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing critic

• textual critic

Kids Definition

critic

noun

crit·​ic

ˈkrit-ik

1

: a person who makes or gives a judgment of the value, worth, beauty, or excellence of something

2

: faultfinder