different between criterion vs differentia

English

Alternative forms

• criteria (nonstandard)
• criterium

Etymology

From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek ????????? (krit?rion, “a test, a means of judging”), from ?????? (krit?s, “judge”), from ????? (krín?, “to judge”); see critic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?a??t???i.?n/, /k???t???i.?n/
• Rhymes: -??i?n

Noun

criterion (plural criteria)

1. A standard or test by which individual things or people may be compared and judged.

Usage notes

• The plural form criterions also exists, but is much less common.
• The form criteria is sometimes used as a nonstandard singular form (as in a criteria, this criteria, and so on), with corresponding plural form criterias. In this use, it sometimes means “a single criterion”, sometimes “a set of criteria”.

Related terms

• criterial
• crisis
• critic
• criticize
• critical

Translations

Further reading

• criterion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• criterion in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• tricerion

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ????????? (krit?rion).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /kri?te.ri.on/, [k???t???i?n]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /kri?te.ri.on/, [k?i?t????i?n]

Noun

criterion n (genitive criteri?); second declension

1. criterion

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter, Greek-type).

Descendants

• ? Catalan: criteri
• ? Dutch: criterium
• ? English: criterion
• ? German: Kriterium
• ? Italian: criterio
• ? Spanish: criterio

English

Etymology

From Latin differentia. Doublet of difference.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d?f????n???/

Noun

differentia (plural differentiae)

1. (semantics, logic, taxonomy) A distinguishing feature which marks a species off from other members of the same genus.
   • 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Folio Society 2008, p. 38:

     That character, it seems to me, should be regarded as the practically important differentia of religion for our purpose.

   • 2017, Kory Stamper, Word By Word, Vintage 2018, p. 116:

     In the case of a word like “surfboard,” the differentiae seem pretty clear. How is this board different from all other boards?

See also

• criterion
• definiendum

Interlingua

Noun

differentia (plural differentias)

1. difference

Latin

Etymology

From differ? (“I am different”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /dif.fe?ren.ti.a/, [d??f?????n?t?iä]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /dif.fe?ren.t?si.a/, [d?if?????nt??s?i?]

Noun

differentia f (genitive differentiae); first declension

1. difference
2. diversity

Declension

First-declension noun.

Descendants

Participle

differentia

1. nominative neuter plural of differ?ns
2. accusative neuter plural of differ?ns
3. vocative neuter plural of differ?ns

References

• differentia in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• differentia in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• differentia in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• differentia in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette