[di.a.crit.i.cal] also di.a.crit.ic adj [Gk diakritikos separative, fr. diakrinein to distinguish, fr. dia- + krinein to separate--more at certain] (1749) 1: serving as a diacritic
2. a: distinctive "the ~ elements in culture --S. F. Nadel" b: capable of distinguishing "students of superior ~ powers"