characterize

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of

   You can characterize their behavior as that of an egotist.

2. 2
   verb

   to be characteristic of

   What characterizes a Venetian painting?

3. 3
   verb

   To depict someone or something a particular way (often negative).

   [Stephen] Miller’s uncle, a neuroscientist, has been welcomed onto the public stage for his denunciations of his nephew’s immigration policies, which the elder Miller has characterized as hypocritical: the Millers’ not-so-distant Jewish ancestors were, of course, immigrants themselves.

4. 4
   verb

   To be typical of.

   There is no way to avoid the slight cups, crooks, bows and twists that characterize wood.

5. 5
   verb

   To determine the characteristics of.

   The second level of reading we will call Inspectional Reading. It is characterized by its special emphasis on time.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin charactērizō, from Ancient Greek χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -ize.