criticaster: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / Low-frequency (C2+)Literary / Formal / Pejorative / Dated
Quick answer
What does “criticaster” mean?
A petty, inferior, or contemptible critic.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A petty, inferior, or contemptible critic; someone who criticizes in a small-minded or incompetent way.
Refers specifically to a critic who lacks substance, insight, or seriousness, often engaging in pedantic or nitpicking fault-finding.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant geographical difference in meaning or use. Slightly more likely to be encountered in British literary or academic writing due to its archaic/latinate flavour.
Connotations
Same pejorative, scornful connotation in both variants.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both AmE and BrE. Arguably more likely to be recognized by a highly literate BrE speaker due to its 18th-century origins and use in historical literary criticism.
Grammar
How to Use “criticaster” in a Sentence
Noun + of + (work/author)dismiss + as + a criticasterbe labelled a criticasterVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Occasionally found in humanities, especially literary or art history criticism, to disparage past or contemporary minor critics.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely. Would sound affected or archaic.
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “criticaster”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “criticaster”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “criticaster”
- Confusing it with 'criticise'. Using it in non-pejorative contexts. Mispronouncing as /kraɪtɪˈkæstə/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'critic' is a neutral or positive term for someone who evaluates and judges works. A 'criticaster' is specifically a petty, inferior, or contemptible critic, implying their criticism is shallow or unworthy of consideration.
No, it is a rare, literary, and somewhat archaic word. It is used for deliberate, scornful effect, typically in written English.
No, it is exclusively a noun. The related adjective might be 'criticasterly', but this is exceedingly rare.
It comes from Latin, where it forms diminutive or pejorative nouns (like 'poetaster' for a bad poet). It implies something inferior or incomplete.
A petty, inferior, or contemptible critic.
Criticaster is usually literary / formal / pejorative / dated in register.
Criticaster: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪtɪkæstə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɪtɪˌkæstər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the criticaster's quill (poetic/literary)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a small, mean ASTEROID (aster) CRITICising a planet. It's a tiny, petty critic – a critic-ASTER.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRITICISM AS INSIGNIFICANCE (a criticaster is a 'small', 'dwarf', or 'failed' version of a real critic).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best defines a 'criticaster'?