criticado

Criticado is the past participle of the Portuguese verb criticar (to criticize) and functions as an adjective or a past-participle in passive constructions. It describes something or someone that has received criticism or is the subject of criticism, as in ser criticado or ter sido criticado. The term is widely used in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, in contexts ranging from journalism and politics to everyday discussion.

Etymology and related forms: criticar derives from a verb stem that ultimately traces back to Latin criticāre, with roots in the Greek kritikos, meaning capable of judging. The participle form, criticado, is used to describe what has been criticized, e.g., uma ideia criticada (an idea that was criticized) or o projeto foi criticado (the project was criticized). The word agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies: o crítico is the masculine noun for a critic, while os criticados refers to multiple male subjects or mixed groups.

Usage notes: Criticado often carries a negative connotation, signaling disapproval from others. It appears in news reporting, opinion pieces, and social discourse to summarize reception or critique of actions, proposals, performances, or statements. It can also describe a person who has drawn criticism, as in a figura criticada pela imprensa (a figure criticized by the press).

See also: crítico, crítica, criticar, crítica literária. In closely related languages like Spanish, the cognate criticado shares the same meaning, reflecting common Latin roots.