characteristic

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/ UK /ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/ See IPA manual

Freq #16130

Meanings

1

noun
A typical quality or feature of someone or something.

Patience is one of her best characteristics.
2

adj
Typical of a particular person or thing.

I heard my friend's characteristic laugh across the room.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a typical quality or... feature distinction

2 adj · typical of a particular... distinctive typical

More designation distinctivenessowndomparameter property propriety race touch whatness

Opposites

uncharacteristic untypical

Word family

Forms characteristics

Derived forms biocharacteristicsemicharacteristicsubcharacteristic

Related forms characteristicallymantissa

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

characteristic curve
a graph showing how a device's behavior changes with another measured quantity

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós), from χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -istic.

χαρακτηριστικός Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# characteristic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/
**Frequency rank:** 16130

## Meanings
1. A typical quality or feature of someone or something.
2. Typical of a particular person or thing.

## Examples
- Patience is one of her best characteristics.
- I heard my friend's characteristic laugh across the room.

## Synonyms
- designation
- distinction
- distinctiveness
- feature
- owndom
- parameter
- property
- propriety
- race
- touch
- whatness

## Antonyms
- uncharacteristic
- untypical

## Derived Forms
- biocharacteristic
- semicharacteristic
- subcharacteristic

## Related Forms
- characteristically
- mantissa

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: χαρακτηριστικός

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós), from χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -istic.

## AI Etymology
characteristic is an adjective and noun. It is from Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós), from χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -istic. Historical forms in the chain include χαρακτηριστικός (Ancient Greek). Current senses include a typical quality or feature of someone or something and typical of a particular person or thing. Derived forms include biocharacteristic, semicharacteristic, and subcharacteristic. Related words include characteristically and mantissa.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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