Criteri

Criteri is the Italian plural noun meaning standards or rules used to judge or decide something. In English, the closest equivalent is criteria, the plural of criterion. In Italian, phrases such as criteri di selezione or criteri di valutazione are common in academic, administrative, and professional contexts.

The term shares its roots with the English criterion and derives from the Greek word kritērion, via Latin criterion or Italian criterio, all connected to judgment and measurement.

Criteri specify conditions that must be satisfied for an outcome to be considered acceptable. They may be prescriptive, establishing required properties, or evaluative, guiding judgments. They are used across fields such as research, procurement, policy, education, and quality assurance.

Common types include inclusion and exclusion criteria in studies, selection criteria for job applicants, and design criteria related to safety, reliability, usability, and performance. In project management and software development, criteria are used to define acceptance criteria for deliverables and success criteria for objectives.

See also criterion, criteria, standard, benchmark.