criterion

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge.

   Near-synonym: benchmark

2. 2
   noun

   the ideal in terms of which something can be judged

3. 3
   noun

   a basis for comparison

Etymology

From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek κριτήριον (kritḗrion, “a test, a means of judging”), from κριτής (kritḗs, “judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “to judge”); see critic.