WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
crit′ical point′, 
    1. Physicsthe point at which a substance in one phase, as the liquid, has the same density, pressure, and temperature as in another phase, as the gaseous.
    2. Mathematics
      • (of a function of a single variable) a point at which the derivative of the function is zero.
      • (of a function of several variables) a point at which all partial derivatives of the function are zero.
    • 1875–80

'critical point' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
article - brink - build up - climacteric - corner - critical constant - critical density - critical pressure - critical state - critical temperature - critical volume - decalescence - exsolve - flash point - knife edge - point of no return - shear pin - tide - turning point

Forum discussions with the word(s) "critical point" in the title:


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