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Webster 1913 Edition

Critic

Crit′ic

(krĭt′ĭk)
,
Noun.
[L.
criticus
, Gr.
κριτικός
, a critic; prop., an adj. meaning
able to discuss
, from
κρίνειν
to judge, discern. See
Certain
, and cf.
Critique
.]
1.
One skilled in judging of the merits of literary or artistic works; a connoisseur; an adept; hence, one who examines literary or artistic works, etc., and passes judgment upon them; a reviewer.
The opininon of the most skillful
critics
was, that nothing finer [than Goldsmith’s “Traveler”] had appeared in verse since the fourth book of the “Dunciad.”
Macaulay.
2.
One who passes a rigorous or captious judgment; one who censures or finds fault; a harsh examiner or judge; a caviler; a carper.
When an author has many beauties consistent with virtue, piety, and truth, let not little
critics
exalt themselves, and shower down their ill nature.
I. Watts.
You know who the
critics
are? the men who have failed in literature and art.
Beaconsfield.
3.
The art of criticism.
[Obs.]
Locke.
4.
An act of criticism; a critique.
[Obs.]
And make each day a
critic
on the last.
Pope.

Crit′ic

,
Adj.
Of or pertaining to critics or criticism; critical.
[Obs.]
“Critic learning.”
Pope.

Crit′ic

,
Verb.
I.
[Cf. F.
critiquer
.]
To criticise; to play the critic.
[Obs.]

Syn. – critique.
Nay, if you begin to
critic
once, we shall never have done.
A. Brewer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Critic

CRITIC

,
Noun.
[Gr., a judge or discerner, to judge, to separate, to distinguish. See Crime.]
1.
A person skilled in judging of the merit of literary works; one who is able to discern and distinguish the beauties and faults of writing. In a more general sense, a person skilled in judging with propriety of any combination of objects, or of any work of art; and particularly of what are denominated the Fine Arts. A critic is one who, from experience, knowledge, habit or taste, can perceive the difference between propriety and impropriety, in objects or works presented to his view; between the natural and unnatural; the high and the low, or lofty and mean; the congruous and incongruous; the correct and incorrect, according to the established rules of the art.
2.
An examiner; a judge.
And make each day a critic on the last.
3.
One who judges with severity; one who censures or finds fault.

CRITIC

,
Adj.
Critical; relating to criticism, or the art of judging of the merit of a literary performance or discourse, or of any work in the fine arts. [See Critical.]

CRITIC

,
Verb.
I.
To criticise; to play the critic. [Little used.]

Definition 2024

critic

critic

See also: crític

English

Alternative forms

Noun

critic ‎(plural critics)

  1. A person who appraises the works of others.
    • Macaulay
      The opinion of the most skilful critics was, that nothing finer [than Goldsmith's Traveller] had appeared in verse since the fourth book of the Dunciad.
  2. A specialist in judging works of art.
  3. One who criticizes; a person who finds fault.
    • I. Watts
      When an author has many beauties consistent with virtue, piety, and truth, let not little critics exalt themselves, and shower down their ill nature.
  4. An opponent.
  5. Obsolete form of critique (an act of criticism)
    • Alexander Pope
      Make each day a critic on the last.
  6. Obsolete form of critique (the art of criticism)
    • John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Chapter 21, page 550
      And, perhaps, if they were distinctly weighed, and duly considered, they would afford us another sort of logic and critic, than what we have been hitherto acquainted with.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

critic ‎(third-person singular simple present critics, present participle criticking, simple past and past participle criticked)

  1. (obsolete, transitive, intransitive) To criticise.
    • A. Brewer
      Nay, if you begin to critic once, we shall never have done.

Anagrams

Irish

Etymology

From English critique.

Noun

critic f ‎(genitive singular critice, nominative plural criticí)

  1. critique
  2. criticism

Declension

Synonyms

Derived terms

Mutation

Irish mutation
Radical Lenition Eclipsis
critic chritic gcritic
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Ladin

Adjective

critic m pl

  1. plural of critich

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from French critique and Latin criticus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkri.tik/

Noun

critic m ‎(plural critici)

  1. critic

Adjective

critic m, n ‎(feminine singular critică, masculine plural critici, feminine and neuter plural critice)

  1. critical

Declension

Etymology

From Middle French critique, from Latin criticus, from Ancient Greek κριτικός ‎(kritikós, “of or for judging, able to discern”), from κρίνω ‎(krínō, “I judge”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈkɹɪt.ɪk/
  • Rhymes: -ɪtɪk

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