What does critics mean?
Critics are people who evaluate and pass judgment on things — most commonly works of art, literature, film, music, or performance, but also policies, ideas, and public figures. The word is simply the plural of 'critic' and carries two closely related shades of meaning. In the cultural sphere, critics are professionals whose reviews can shape a work's reputation and commercial success; phrases like 'acclaimed by critics' signal institutional endorsement. In politics and public life, however, 'critics' often refers to opponents or skeptics, as in 'the plan has drawn fire from critics', lending the word a more adversarial connotation. Derived from the Greek 'kritikos', meaning skilled in judging, the term reminds us that criticism at its best involves careful discernment rather than mere fault-finding. Knowing how to use 'critics' accurately helps distinguish reasoned evaluation from simple disapproval.
nounCritics is the plural of 'critic': people who express judgments, especially unfavorable ones, about the merits of books, films, art, performances, or other works — or, more broadly, anyone who finds fault with something.
- People who professionally evaluate and review works of art, literature, film, music, or performance.
- People who express disapproval or find fault with someone or something (often used of opponents or doubters).
"The film was panned by critics but beloved by audiences."
"The restaurant earned rave reviews from food critics across the city."
"Despite his critics in the press, the senator won re-election by a wide margin."
'Critics' is already the standard plural of the singular noun 'critic'; it takes no further plural form.
"Several prominent theater critics attended the opening night."
The word 'critic' comes from the Greek 'kritikos', meaning 'able to discern' — so at its root, being a critic was never about complaining, it was about judgment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does critics come from?
The word traces back to Greek 'kritikos', meaning 'able to discern or judge', itself derived from 'krinein', 'to separate or decide'. It passed into Latin as 'criticus' before entering English in the early modern period, initially referring to those skilled in textual judgment and later to evaluators of art and letters generally. Cognates and derivatives include 'critical', 'criticism', and 'criterion', all sharing the same Greek root.
Related word forms
How critics is actually used
In arts contexts, 'critics' usually implies trained professional reviewers, and their collective verdict ('what the critics said') can carry real weight. In political or personal contexts, 'critics' often means opponents or skeptics, giving the word a slightly adversarial tone. Phrases like 'despite criticism from critics' are common in publicity language.
Easily confused with critics
'Critics' refers to the people making judgments, while 'critique' is a detailed written evaluation or review itself.