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Paragon vs Criterion - What's the difference?

paragon | criterion | Synonyms |

Paragon is a synonym of criterion.


As nouns the difference between paragon and criterion

is that paragon is a person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model of some given (especially positive) quality while criterion is a standard or test by which individual things or people may be compared and judged.

As a verb paragon

is to compare; to parallel; to put in rivalry or emulation with.

paragon

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model of some given (especially positive) quality.
  • In the novel, Constanza is a paragon of virtue who would never compromise her reputation.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Man, the paragon of animals!
  • * Emerson
  • The riches of sweet Mary's son, / Boy-rabbi, Israel's paragon .
  • * '>citation
  • (obsolete) A companion; a match; an equal.
  • * Sir Philip Sidney
  • Philoclea, who indeed had no paragon but her sister
    (Spenser)
  • (obsolete) Comparison; competition.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.ix:
  • good by paragone / Of euill, may more notably be rad, / As white seemes fairer, macht with blacke attone [...].
  • (typography) A size of type between great primer and double pica.
  • A flawless diamond of at least 100 carats.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To compare; to parallel; to put in rivalry or emulation with.
  • (Sir Philip Sidney)
  • To compare with; to equal; to rival.
  • (Spenser)
  • * Glover
  • In arms anon to paragon the morn, / The morn new rising.
  • To serve as a model for; to surpass.
  • * Shakespeare
  • He hath achieved a maid / That paragons description and wild fame.
  • To be equal; to hold comparison.
  • criterion

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (nonstandard) * criterium

    Noun

    (criteria)
  • A standard or test by which individual things or people may be compared and judged.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-11-30, volume=409, issue=8864, magazine=(The Economist), author=Paul Davis
  • , title= Letters: Say it as simply as possible , passage=Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion ” in a chart (“ On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?}}

    Usage notes

    * The plural form criterions also exists, but is much less common. * The form criteria is sometimes used as a nonstandard singular form (as in a criteria'', ''this criteria , and so on), with corresponding plural form criterias. In this use, it sometimes means “a single criterion”, sometimes “a set of criteria”.