A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or government policy. Critical judgments, whether derived from critical thinking or not, weigh up a range of factors, including an assessment of the extent to which the item under review achieves its purpose and its creator's intention and a knowledge of its context. They may also include a positive or negative personal response.

समीक्षक म्हणजे एखाद्या परिस्थितीचे, साहित्यकृतीचे, कलाकृतीचे, संगीताचे तसेच सामाजिक व राजकिय स्थितीचे अवलोकन करून त्यावर कला, साहित्यकृतीचे वास्तविक गुणदोष प्रामाणिकपणे नोंदवणाऱ्यां व्यक्ती होय. म. वा. धोंड तसेच म. द. हातकणंगलेकर हे मराठी साहित्यातील ज्येष्ठ समीक्षक आहेत.