critical point

noun

The temperature and pressure at which the vapour density of the gas and liquid phases of a fluid are equal, at which point there is no difference between gas and liquid.

Similar
juncturecrossroads
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Meanings

nouncritical point (plural critical points)

plural critical points

  1. natural sciencesThe temperature and pressure at which the vapour density of the gas and liquid phases of a fluid are equal, at which point there is no difference between gas and liquid.
  2. mathematicsA point at which the derivative of a function is zero or undefined, such as a minimum, a maximum, a point of inflection or, in multivariate calculus, a saddle point.
  3. A juncture at which time a critical decision must be made.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made

Similar
juncturecrossroads
Broader
crisis
Also see
crossroadsjuncture

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Bulgarian крити́чна то́чка, крити́чна то́чка
  • крити́чна то́чка (kritíčna tóčka)in thermodynamics
  • крити́чна то́чка (kritíčna tóčka)in mathematics
Catalan punt crític
  • punt críticin mathematics
Chinese Mandarin 臨界點 /临界点, 臨界點 /临界点
  • 臨界點 /临界点 (línjièdiǎn)in thermodynamics
  • 臨界點 /临界点 (línjièdiǎn)in mathematics
  • 臨界值 /临界值 (línjièzhí)in mathematics
Czech kritický bod
  • kritický bodin thermodynamics
Dutch kritisch punt, kritisch punt
  • kritisch puntin thermodynamics
  • kritisch puntin mathematics
Finnish kriittinen piste, ääriarvo
  • kriittinen pistein thermodynamics
  • ääriarvoin mathematics
  • käännepistein mathematics
French point critique, point critique
  • point critiquein thermodynamics
  • point critiquein mathematics
Italian punto critico
  • punto criticoin mathematics
Japanese 臨界点
  • 臨界点 (rinkaiten)in thermodynamics
Korean 임계점
  • 임계점 (imgyejeom)in thermodynamics
Polish punkt krytyczny, punkt krytyczny
  • punkt krytycznyin thermodynamics
  • punkt krytycznyin mathematics
Portuguese ponto crítico, ponto crítico
  • ponto críticoin thermodynamics
  • ponto críticoin mathematics
Romanian punct critic
  • punct criticin thermodynamics
Russian крити́ческая то́чка, крити́ческая то́чка
  • крити́ческая то́чка (kritíčeskaja tóčka)in thermodynamics
  • крити́ческая то́чка (kritíčeskaja tóčka)in mathematics
Spanish punto crítico, punto crítico
  • punto críticoin thermodynamics
  • punto críticoin mathematics
Swedish kritisk punkt, kritisk punkt
  • kritisk punktin thermodynamics
  • kritisk punktin mathematics
  • inflektionspunktin mathematics
Tagalog maselang tungos
  • maselang tungosin thermodynamics
Cite this entry
APA

critical point. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20point

MLA

“critical point.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20point. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “critical point,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/critical%20point.

Source: critical point on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.