How Do You Spell CRITICAL?

Pronunciation: [kɹˈɪtɪkə͡l] (IPA)

The word "critical" is spelled as /ˈkrɪtɪkəl/. The stress is on the first syllable, and the first vowel is pronounced as short "i". The second syllable starts with the voiceless velar fricative /k/ followed by the voiced alveolar stop /t/. The third syllable includes the short vowel "i" as well, and it ends with the suffix "-al". The spelling of the word "critical" follows the English language's conventional phoneme-grapheme correspondences.

CRITICAL Meaning and Definition

  1. Critical can be defined as a term used to describe something that is of great importance, requiring careful examination, analysis, or judgment. It is characterized by a high level of seriousness or significance, often involving a careful evaluation or assessment of a situation, idea, or piece of information.

    In the context of evaluating something critically, it implies a thorough and objective analysis, where one assesses the strengths and weaknesses, merits and flaws, of the subject matter. By being critical, one seeks to identify and understand the essential aspects, potential implications, and underlying principles involved in a given topic. This process often involves weighing evidence, scrutinizing assumptions, considering alternative perspectives, and drawing well-reasoned conclusions.

    Furthermore, being critical can also imply expressing or involving a strong disapproval or dissenting opinion towards something. This aspect suggests that criticism can be constructive, aimed at providing helpful feedback or highlighting areas in need of improvement.

    In everyday language, the term critical is often used to describe situations or conditions that are at a pivotal or crucial stage, demanding immediate attention or action. It emphasizes the urgency, gravity, or intensity of a situation, indicating that a particular matter requires focused and careful handling.

    Overall, the adjective critical emphasizes the importance of thoughtful analysis, careful judgment, and objective evaluation, whether to understand, evaluate, or respond to a situation, idea, or piece of information.

  2. Relating in any way to a crisis of any kind.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

  3. Highly important; momentous-from crisis; nicely exact; prone to judge severely the productions of others; fault-finding.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for CRITICAL *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for CRITICAL

Etymology of CRITICAL

The word "critical" comes from the Latin word "criticus", which in turn originates from the Greek word "kritikos". Both of these words have a common root in the Greek word "krinein", meaning "to judge" or "to decide". Over time, "criticus" evolved in Latin to mean "skilled in judging", reflecting its association with the act of critical judgment. Eventually, this Latin term borrowed into Old French as "critique", which then entered the English language in the 16th century as "critical". The term maintains its basic meaning of expressing judgment or evaluation, often denoting a careful and thorough analysis or examination.

Idioms with the word CRITICAL

  • go critical The idiom "go critical" refers to a situation or event reaching a point of intense, extreme, or crucial state, often implying a sudden increase in intensity or significance. It can be used in various contexts, such as scientific, emotional, or social, to describe a situation that has reached a tipping point or where a decisive action or change is imminent.

Similar spelling words for CRITICAL

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