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 of critic

Noun (1)

• criticizer

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

Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026

The festival’s advisory group includes director Dan Löwenstein, founder of House of Create, vertical drama critic and consultant Jen Cooper of Vertical Drama Love, and Christine Hartland, co-founder and chief operating officer of My Smash Media. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images file Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee and a veteran Wall Street critic, is seen as the frontrunner to chair that committee. — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026

O’Hara is most famous for his collection Lunch Poems, written in his lunch break as a receptionist from the Museum of Modern Art—proving even future curators/art critics must begin at the front desk. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for critic

• clitic
• lytic
• analytic
• anxiolytic
• astrocytic
• austenitic
• catalytic
• cytolytic
• dioritic
• diphtheritic
• dolomitic
• endophytic

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