critical
critical: adj.
1 a making or involving adverse or censorious comments or judgements. b expressing or involving criticism.
2 skilful at or engaged in criticism.
3 providing textual criticism (a critical edition of Milton).
4 a of or at a crisis; involving risk or suspense (in a critical condition; a critical operation). b decisive, crucial (of critical importance; at the critical moment).
5 a Math. & Physics marking transition from one state etc. to another (critical angle). b Physics (of a nuclear reactor) maintaining a self-sustaining chain reaction. critical apparatus = APPARATUS 4. critical mass Physics the amount of fissile material needed to maintain a nuclear chain reaction. critical path the sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for an operation. critical temperature Chem. the temperature above which a gas cannot be liquefied. criticality n. (in sense 5). critically adv. criticalness n. [L criticus: see CRITIC]
Most popular pairs with critical
critical thinking
critical mass
critical theory
critical analysis
critical care
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