characterize

B1 Topic:Communication

Also spelled characterise, characterised, and characterises

US /ˈkɛɹəktəɹaɪz/ UK /ˈkæɹəktəɹaɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #31475

Meanings

1

verb
To describe the qualities of someone or something.

You could characterize his behaviour as selfish.
2

verb
To be a typical feature of something.

Bright colours characterize her paintings.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to describe the qualities... qualify

2 verb · to be a typical feature of... represent

Word family

Forms characterizedcharacterizescharacterizing

Derived forms characterizabilitycharacterizablecharacterizationcharacterizerhypercharacterizeimmunocharacterizemischaracterizerecharacterizesubcharacterizeundercharacterize

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.

charactērizō la-med χαρακτηρίζω Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

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# characterize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɛɹəktəɹaɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkæɹəktəɹaɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 31475

## Meanings
1. To describe the qualities of someone or something.
2. To be a typical feature of something.

## Examples
- You could characterize his behaviour as selfish.
- Bright colours characterize her paintings.

## Derived Forms
- characterizability
- characterizable
- characterization
- characterizer
- hypercharacterize
- immunocharacterize
- mischaracterize
- recharacterize
- subcharacterize
- undercharacterize

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: charactērizō
- Root: χαρακτηρίζω

## 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.

## AI Etymology
characterize is a verb. It is 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. Historical forms in the chain include charactērizō (Medieval Latin) and χαρακτηρίζω (Ancient Greek). Current senses include to describe the qualities of someone or something and to be a typical feature of something. Derived forms include characterizability, characterizable, characterization, characterizer, and hypercharacterize.

## Topics
- Communication

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characterize

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