criterion

/kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/

//kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"criterion" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“criterion” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,790. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,790
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

criterion vs criteria
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for criterion
PropertyValue
Headwordcriterion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,790
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “criterion” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). criterion lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around criterion (IPA /kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,790 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for criterion, with forms such as "ccriterion", "cirterion", and "crietrion". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "criteria", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek κριτήριον (kritḗrion, “a test, a means of judging”), from κριτής (kritḗs, “judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “to judge”); see critic. The correct English form is criterion, spelled C-R-I-T-E-R-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge.

Etymology

From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek κριτήριον (kritḗrion, “a test, a means of judging”), from κριτής (kritḗs, “judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “to judge”); see critic.

This word in other languages

criterio(Español)critère(Français)Kriterium(Deutsch)critério(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccriterion
  • cirterion
  • crietrion
  • criteiron
  • criterino
  • criterionn
  • criteroin
  • criterrion
  • critreion
  • critterion
  • crriterion
  • crtierion
  • rciterion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of criterion - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccriterion1cirterion2crietrion2criteiron2criterino2criterionn1criteroin2criterrion1
Edit distance from "criterion"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "criterion"?
"criterion" is spelled C-R-I-T-E-R-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/.
What does "criterion" mean?
As a noun, "criterion" means: A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge.
What words are commonly confused with "criterion"?
"criterion" is commonly confused with "criteria". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "criterion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "criterion" is /kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "criterion"?
From New Latin criterion, from Ancient Greek κριτήριον (kritḗrion, “a test, a means of judging”), from κριτής (kritḗs, “judge”), from κρίνω (krínō, “to judge”); see critic. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “criterion”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-R-I-T-E-R-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “criteria” - see the side-by-side comparison. criterion vs criteria
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list