"standards of judgment or criticism, rules by which opinions or conduct can be tested," 1620s, classical plural of criterion (q.v.). Also see -a (2). Related: Criterial.
Entries linking to criteria
criterion n.
"a standard of judgment or criticism, rule by which opinion or conduct can be tested," 1660s, from Latinized form of Greek kriterion "means for judging, standard," from krites "judge," from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish." Used in English as a Greek word from 1610s.
-a 2
nominative neuter plural ending of certain nouns and adjectives in Latin and Greek that have been adopted into English (phenomena, data, media, criteria, etc.). It also is common in biology in Modern Latin formations of names (Mammalia, Reptilia, Crustacea).