Crit'i-cism, n.

n. 1. The art of judging of the beauties and faults of a literary performance, or of a production in the fine arts; as, the rules of criticism. 2. The act of judging on the merit of a performance; a critical judgment passed or expressed; a critical observation or detailed examination and review; an animadversion. About the plan of Rasselas, little was said by the critics; and yet the faults of the plan might seem to invite severe criticism. Macaulay.