critic

[krit-ik]

noun

1. a person who judges, evaluates, or criticizes.

   a poor critic of men.

2. a person who judges, evaluates, or analyzes literary or artistic works, dramatic or musical performances, or the like, especially for a newspaper or magazine.

   Synonyms: judge, reviewer

3. a person who tends too readily to make captious, trivial, or harsh judgments; faultfinder.

   Synonyms: carper, censurer

4. Archaic.

   1. criticism.

   2. critique.

critic

/ ˈkrɪtɪk /

noun

1. a person who judges something

2. a professional judge of art, music, literature, etc

3. a person who often finds fault and criticizes

Other Word Forms

• supercritic noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of critic¹

1575–85; < Latin criticus < Greek kritikós skilled in judging (adj.), critic (noun), equivalent to krī́t ( ēs ) judge, umpire ( krī́ ( nein ) to separate, decide + -tēs agent suffix) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of critic¹

C16: from Latin criticus, from Greek kritikos capable of judging, from kritēs judge; see _criterion

Example Sentences

The BBC has also not yet announced what it plans to do with the completed celebrity series - which was filmed with Torode and restaurant critic Grace Dent - or the Christmas special.

From BBC

There is frustration that the manner of her exit from government gave her critics what they wanted.

From BBC

And the new interim CDC director — Jim O’Neill, a Kennedy deputy — is a critic of health regulations and has no training in medicine or healthcare, the AP reported.

From Los Angeles Times

In a blistering review, critic Sowmya Rajendran slammed the film as "generic, exhausting and offensive," saying it hides tired cliches behind an "exotic" Kerala setting and a score that overplays the land's "foreignness."

From BBC

The Times’ reporters, critics, videographers and photographers are on the ground at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, bringing you all the news from TIFF’s 50th edition.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• authority 
• cartoonist www.thesaurus.com
• commentator 
• expert 
• judge 
• pundit 
• reviewer