CRITERION

noun (plural criteria; also -rions) see: certain Date: 1622 a standard on which a judgment or decision may be based, a characterizing mark or trait, see: standard Usage: The plural criteria has been used as a singular for over half a century . Many of our examples, like the two foregoing, are taken from speech. But singular criteria is not uncommon in edited prose, and its use both in speech and writing seems to be increasing. Only time will tell whether it will reach the unquestioned acceptability of agenda.