"What's the plural of criterion?"

Is Criteria Plural or Singular?

Criteria is the plural form of the word and criterion is the singular form.

It is important to note that criteria is always used in its plural form. While some words can be both singular and plural, such as "sheep" or "fish," criterion does not follow that pattern.

As such, the verb form you use should match the plural nature of criteria. Here are some common questions that arise:

Should We Say "Criteria Is" or "Criteria Are"?

The correct form is "criteria are." Since criteria is plural, it requires a plural verb, which is are in this case.

For example, "All the criteria are met, and the project can proceed."

Or you could say "The criteria are being carefully evaluated before making a decision."

"Criteria Has" or "Criteria Have"?

The correct form is "criteria have." Since criteria is plural, it requires a plural verb, which is have in this case. For example, "The criteria have been carefully defined to ensure fairness."

"This Criteria" or "These Criteria"?

The correct form is "these criteria." When referring to multiple criteria, the plural form these should be used to indicate more than one. For example, "These criteria are particularly stringent."

Plural of Criterion: Grammar Rules

The standard plural form of criterion is criteria. This pluralization follows the Greek rule, where the ending -on is replaced with -a. While criteria is the widely accepted plural form, it is important to note that criterions is an anglicized plural form that is rarely used in modern English. Most dictionaries, except for a few such as Merriam-Webster, do not list criterions as a recognized plural form.

It is worth noting that language is constantly evolving, and alternative plural forms like criterions may arise and gain acceptance over time. However, at present, it is best to adhere to the standard usage of criteria as the plural form of criterion. Using criteria ensures clarity and conformity with established grammar rules.

See the bottom of the page for the graph of written instances of "criteria" and "criterions".

Is Criterion a Countable or Uncountable Noun?

The word criterion is a countable noun. Countable nouns refer to things that can be counted as separate individual items. In the case of criterion, we can have one criterion, two criteria, three criteria, and so on.

Each criterion represents a distinct element used for evaluation or judgment. Countable nouns can be used in both singular and plural forms, and their singular form typically takes an article like "a" or "an" before them, while the plural form does not require an article.

What is the Collective Noun for a Group of Criteria?

There isn't a specific collective noun for a group of criteria. When referring to multiple criteria as a whole, it is common to simply use the term criteria itself.

For example, "The criteria for the project were carefully considered." In this case, "criteria" functions as both the plural form of the word and the collective noun representing the entire set of criteria under consideration.

Collective nouns are used to describe a collection or group of individuals or items. While some nouns have specific collective forms like "herd" for cows or "flock" for birds, others, like criteria, do not have a distinct collective noun and instead use the plural form of the word to represent the group.