adj 1 a  :  relating to, indicating, or being the stage of a disease at which an abrupt change for better or worse may be anticipated with reasonable certainty <the phase of a fever>   b  :  being or relating to an illness or condition involving danger of death < care>  <a head injury>   2 a  :  of sufficient size to sustain a chain reaction - used of a mass of fissionable material  b  :  sustaining a chain reaction - used of a nuclear reactor crit*i*cal*ly adv 
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  cor·ti·cal 
 
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