character

1 of 3

noun

char·ac·ter ˈker-ik-tər How to pronounce character (audio)

ˈka-rik-

: one of the attributes (see attribute entry 1 sense 1) or features that make up and distinguish an individual

This is a side of her character that few people have seen.

b(1)

: a feature used to separate distinguishable things into categories

also : a group or kind so separated

advertising of a very primitive character

(2)

: the aggregate of distinctive qualities characteristic of a breed, strain, or type

a wine of great character

(3)

: the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes

: the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation

the character of the American people

: main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish

excess sewage gradually changed the character of the lake

: one of the persons of a drama or novel

: the personality or part which an actor recreates

an actress who can create a character convincingly

: characterization especially in drama or fiction

a novelist good in both character and setting

: person, individual

a suspicious character

: a person marked by notable or conspicuous traits

quite a character

: moral excellence and firmness

a man of sound character

: a graphic symbol (such as a hieroglyph or alphabet letter) used in writing or printing

: a symbol (such as a letter or number) that represents information

mathematical characters

also : a representation of such a symbol that may be accepted by a computer

: a magical or astrological emblem

: alphabet

e(1)

: writing, printing

(2)

: style of writing or printing

You know the character to be your brother's?

Shakespeare

(3)

: cipher

: a conventionalized graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, origin, or relationship

: reputation

the scandal has damaged his character and image

: position, capacity

his character as a town official

: reference sense 4b

: a short literary sketch of the qualities of a social type

characterless

ˈker-ik-tər-ləs How to pronounce character (audio)

ˈka-rik-

adjective

character

2 of 3

adjective

: capable of portraying an unusual or eccentric personality often markedly different from the player

a character actor

: requiring or involving the portrayal of an unusual or eccentric personality

a character role

character

3 of 3

verb

charactered; charactering; characters

transitive verb

: characterize

archaic : represent, portray

archaic : engrave, inscribe

Did you know?

Traits of Character

Character demonstrates that a word may have many and varied meanings and yet still be easily understood by most listeners when used in disparate settings. We have little trouble distinguishing the meanings of the noun in “she had a fine and noble character,” “Bill is always joking; he’s such a character,” and “He was the last character to appear in the play,” not to mention its many other applications.Character comes ultimately from the Greek charaktēr (“mark, distinctive quality”), which passed through Latin and French before landing in English. The Greek noun itself is derived from the verb charassein, meaning “to sharpen, cut in furrows, or engrave.” The literal sense of the noun (“an engraved or imprinted mark”) existed in Greek, Latin, and French side by side with the figurative one (“a distinctive quality”), and both senses were borrowed into English early on, with a variant of the figurative sense appearing first.

Example Sentences

Noun … this makes everyone believe not only that anyone can be a parent, but also that everyone ought to do it, even those who seem by character or inclination to be ill equipped.

Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2009 Someone with Alzheimer's may undergo a regression to a "second childhood," but aspects of one's essential character, of personality and personhood, of self, survive …

Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, (2007) 2008 "Beat" is old carny slang. According to Beat Movement legend (and it is a movement with a deep inventory of legend), Ginsberg and Kerouac picked it up from a character named Herbert Huncke, a gay street hustler and drug addict from Chicago who began hanging around Times Square in 1939 …

Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2007 Slowly, steadily, Och and Chris passed along their knowledge of the characterof various courses, and the way a race evolves tactically.

Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike, (2000) 2001 Her character struck the Swede back then as a compound in which you'd find just about everything toxic to desperation and dread. At the core of her he could imagine a nucleus of confidence plaited just as neatly and tightly as her braided hair.

Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997 the unique character of the town The building is very simple in character. Their house has a lot of character. Verb formerly charactered as “the dark ages,” that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Technically, Pac-Man is the oldest video game character.

Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 So in that way, food is this other character, this sort of Greek chorus that is moving along in the lives of these characters.

Devan Coggan, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2022 Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg starred, but Godard was practically an invisible third character, leaving his imprint on every frame.

Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 Alicent, in particular, is a character that’s eventually perceived as a Cersei Lannister-like villain by the book’s readers.

James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2022 This is not just a scary character for scariness’ sake.

Jen Yamato, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2022 That's a character who always makes the show a bit more fun.

Evan Romano, Men's Health, 9 Sep. 2022 Indeed, the Bordelons’ land is a character in the show.

Tanisha C. Ford, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2022 Athari didn’t get much of an opportunity to shine during his brief tenure on the show, but his Angelo -- the enigmatic nightclub singer who could instantly turn any word into a song -- was perhaps the most memorable new character of the season.

Joey Morona, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022

Adjective

The best shows and movies are often character dramas at heart; even Westworld was in its first season.

Wired, 9 July 2022 The success of the single has been remarkable for a multi-character theatrical piece.

Paul Grein, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2022 There’s a lot of inter-character conflicts that didn’t make the cut.

Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 21 May 2021 Character witnesses for Storm include a parade of foster puppies the Freeleys have taken in over the last month.

Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, 18 July 2017

Verb

And Lin told the Raptors Show that the curriculum will include everything from shooting hoops to character development and communication.

Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 16 June 2022 Well, one chief reason: To dramatize the passing of the superhero torch to sisterly character Yelena Belova — a role that Pugh embraced with athletic ferocity and quick comic aplomb.

Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2021 And without that depth, Spike’s buddy-cop dynamic with his main foil, Jet, does neither character any favors.

Cecilia D'anastasio, Wired, 19 Nov. 2021 But the brothers hewed to character in their posts, which could not have been more exemplary and different.

Guy Martin, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021 Researchers from Emory University found that Dominicans connected the outbreak to character flaws or unhygienic habits among immigrant Haitians, who faced structural problems including lack of access to safe water and sanitation.

Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, Science | AAAS, 16 Sep. 2020 This is a game about moving through space and slaying demons, not character development or world-building.

Matthew Gault, Time, 19 Mar. 2020 His commitment to character specificity in detail and fearless pursuit of authenticity in his work have influenced not only myself, but entire generations.

Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 20 Jan. 2020 What if our world were simply a hyper-realistic simulation, with all of us merely characters in some kind of sophisticated video game?

Dan Falk, NBC News, 6 July 2019 See More

Kids Definition

character

noun

char·ac·ter ˈker-ək-tər How to pronounce character (audio)

: a mark, sign, or symbol (as a letter or figure) used in writing or printing

: the group of qualities that make a person, group, or thing different from others

The town has special character.

: a distinguishing feature : characteristic

the plant's bushy character

: a person who says or does funny or unusual things

Your friend is quite a character.

: a person in a story or play

: the usually good opinions that most people have about a particular person : reputation

She made an attack on his character.

: moral excellence

She is a person of character known for her honesty.

单词	characters
释义	character 1 of 3 noun char·ac·ter ˈker-ik-tər ˈka-rik- 1 a : one of the attributes (see attribute entry 1 sense 1) or features that make up and distinguish an individual This is a side of her character that few people have seen. b(1) : a feature used to separate distinguishable things into categories also : a group or kind so separated advertising of a very primitive character (2) : the aggregate of distinctive qualities characteristic of a breed, strain, or type a wine of great character (3) : the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes c : the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation the character of the American people d : main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish excess sewage gradually changed the character of the lake 2 a : one of the persons of a drama or novel b : the personality or part which an actor recreates an actress who can create a character convincingly c : characterization especially in drama or fiction a novelist good in both character and setting d : person, individual a suspicious character e : a person marked by notable or conspicuous traits quite a character 3 : moral excellence and firmness a man of sound character 4 a : a graphic symbol (such as a hieroglyph or alphabet letter) used in writing or printing b : a symbol (such as a letter or number) that represents information mathematical characters also : a representation of such a symbol that may be accepted by a computer c : a magical or astrological emblem d : alphabet e(1) : writing, printing (2) : style of writing or printing You know the character to be your brother's? Shakespeare (3) : cipher f : a conventionalized graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, origin, or relationship 5 : reputation the scandal has damaged his character and image 6 : position, capacity his character as a town official 7 : reference sense 4b 8 : a short literary sketch of the qualities of a social type characterless ˈker-ik-tər-ləs ˈka-rik- adjective character 2 of 3 adjective 1 : capable of portraying an unusual or eccentric personality often markedly different from the player a character actor 2 : requiring or involving the portrayal of an unusual or eccentric personality a character role character 3 of 3 verb charactered; charactering; characters transitive verb 1 a : characterize b archaic : represent, portray 2 archaic : engrave, inscribe Phrases in character : in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits behaving in character out of character : not in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits his rudeness was completely out of character Did you know? Traits of Character Character demonstrates that a word may have many and varied meanings and yet still be easily understood by most listeners when used in disparate settings. We have little trouble distinguishing the meanings of the noun in “she had a fine and noble character,” “Bill is always joking; he’s such a character,” and “He was the last character to appear in the play,” not to mention its many other applications.Character comes ultimately from the Greek charaktēr (“mark, distinctive quality”), which passed through Latin and French before landing in English. The Greek noun itself is derived from the verb charassein, meaning “to sharpen, cut in furrows, or engrave.” The literal sense of the noun (“an engraved or imprinted mark”) existed in Greek, Latin, and French side by side with the figurative one (“a distinctive quality”), and both senses were borrowed into English early on, with a variant of the figurative sense appearing first. Synonyms Noun glyph icon ikon sign symbol Verb characterize define depict describe portray represent See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun … this makes everyone believe not only that anyone can be a parent, but also that everyone ought to do it, even those who seem by character or inclination to be ill equipped. Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2009 Someone with Alzheimer's may undergo a regression to a "second childhood," but aspects of one's essential character, of personality and personhood, of self, survive … Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, (2007) 2008 "Beat" is old carny slang. According to Beat Movement legend (and it is a movement with a deep inventory of legend), Ginsberg and Kerouac picked it up from a character named Herbert Huncke, a gay street hustler and drug addict from Chicago who began hanging around Times Square in 1939 … Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2007 Slowly, steadily, Och and Chris passed along their knowledge of the characterof various courses, and the way a race evolves tactically. Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike, (2000) 2001 Her character struck the Swede back then as a compound in which you'd find just about everything toxic to desperation and dread. At the core of her he could imagine a nucleus of confidence plaited just as neatly and tightly as her braided hair. Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997 the unique character of the town The building is very simple in character. Their house has a lot of character. Verb formerly charactered as “the dark ages,” that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought See More Recent Examples on the Web Noun Technically, Pac-Man is the oldest video game character. Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 So in that way, food is this other character, this sort of Greek chorus that is moving along in the lives of these characters. Devan Coggan, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2022 Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg starred, but Godard was practically an invisible third character, leaving his imprint on every frame. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 Alicent, in particular, is a character that’s eventually perceived as a Cersei Lannister-like villain by the book’s readers. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2022 This is not just a scary character for scariness’ sake. Jen Yamato, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2022 That's a character who always makes the show a bit more fun. Evan Romano, Men's Health, 9 Sep. 2022 Indeed, the Bordelons’ land is a character in the show. Tanisha C. Ford, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2022 Athari didn’t get much of an opportunity to shine during his brief tenure on the show, but his Angelo -- the enigmatic nightclub singer who could instantly turn any word into a song -- was perhaps the most memorable new character of the season. Joey Morona, cleveland, 2 Sep. 2022 Adjective The best shows and movies are often character dramas at heart; even Westworld was in its first season. Wired, 9 July 2022 The success of the single has been remarkable for a multi-character theatrical piece. Paul Grein, Billboard, 24 Mar. 2022 There’s a lot of inter-character conflicts that didn’t make the cut. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 21 May 2021 Character witnesses for Storm include a parade of foster puppies the Freeleys have taken in over the last month. Sarah Maslin Nir, New York Times, 18 July 2017 Verb And Lin told the Raptors Show that the curriculum will include everything from shooting hoops to character development and communication. Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 16 June 2022 Well, one chief reason: To dramatize the passing of the superhero torch to sisterly character Yelena Belova — a role that Pugh embraced with athletic ferocity and quick comic aplomb. Washington Post, 30 Dec. 2021 And without that depth, Spike’s buddy-cop dynamic with his main foil, Jet, does neither character any favors. Cecilia D'anastasio, Wired, 19 Nov. 2021 But the brothers hewed to character in their posts, which could not have been more exemplary and different. Guy Martin, Forbes, 12 Apr. 2021 Researchers from Emory University found that Dominicans connected the outbreak to character flaws or unhygienic habits among immigrant Haitians, who faced structural problems including lack of access to safe water and sanitation. Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, Science \| AAAS, 16 Sep. 2020 This is a game about moving through space and slaying demons, not character development or world-building. Matthew Gault, Time, 19 Mar. 2020 His commitment to character specificity in detail and fearless pursuit of authenticity in his work have influenced not only myself, but entire generations. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 20 Jan. 2020 What if our world were simply a hyper-realistic simulation, with all of us merely characters in some kind of sophisticated video game? Dan Falk, NBC News, 6 July 2019 See More Word History Etymology Noun, Adjective, and Verb Middle English caracter, from Latin character mark, distinctive quality, from Greek charaktēr, from charassein to scratch, engrave; perhaps akin to Lithuanian žerti to scratch First Known Use Noun 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4f Adjective 1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1b Phrases Containing character character actor character assassination character witness unit character special character title character colorful character in character out of character character actor character assassination character witness unit character special character title character colorful character in character out of character See More Kids Definition character noun char·ac·ter ˈker-ək-tər 1 : a mark, sign, or symbol (as a letter or figure) used in writing or printing 2 : the group of qualities that make a person, group, or thing different from others The town has special character. 3 : a distinguishing feature : characteristic the plant's bushy character 4 : a person who says or does funny or unusual things Your friend is quite a character. 5 : a person in a story or play 6 : the usually good opinions that most people have about a particular person : reputation She made an attack on his character. 7 : moral excellence She is a person of character known for her honesty. Medical Definition character noun char·ac·ter ˈkar-ik-tər 1 : one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish the individual 2 : the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes 3 : the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation characters 1 of 2 noun plural of character 1 as in symbols a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader the pictorial characters of the ancient Egyptians had long been a mystery Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance symbols glyphs signs letters icons numerals ciphers ideograms hieroglyphs ikons pictograms runes pictographs 2 as in eccentrics a person of odd or whimsical habits the junk dealer is certainly a character, but he's as honest as they come Synonyms & Similar Words eccentrics originals nuts oddballs weirdos zanies bohemians oddities mavericks screwballs quizzes odd ducks head cases rarities cranks flakes codgers pieces of work crackpots kooks nutcases nutters cracks freaks fruitcakes crackbrains nonconformists quixotes geezers coots curios fantasts fantasticoes Antonyms & Near Antonyms followers sheep conformers conformists 3 as in reputations overall quality as seen or judged by people in general the general character of the business appears to be good Synonyms & Similar Words reputations names reputes reports reps odors personae fames celebrities notes images notorieties marks credits personas renowns honors admirations regards reverences Antonyms & Near Antonyms infamies odiums opprobriums discredit reproaches ignominies disgraces shames obloquies disreputes dishonors See More 4 as in characteristics something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind one of the distinguishing characters of mammals Synonyms & Similar Words characteristics traits qualities attributes features attributions properties symbols markers peculiarities stamps hallmarks affections particularities fingerprints criteria specifics touches marks diagnostics points notes signs emblems differentiae tokens virtues criterions indications idiosyncrasies eccentricities quirks charms badges individualities singularities merits oddities excellences graces 5 as in identities the set of qualities that make a person different from other people she regards each of her children as having a distinctive character that should be valued for what it is Synonyms & Similar Words identities personalities individualities self-identities idiosyncrasies selfhoods singularities individualisms peculiarities temperaments natures humors dispositions tempers independences Antonyms & Near Antonyms conventionalities conformities 6 as in personalities the set of qualities that makes a person, a group of people, or a thing different from others the basic character of the work requires that an employee be able to work quietly and independently Synonyms & Similar Words personalities natures selves tones colors characteristics constitutions traits features complexions clays compositions spirits dispositions attributes geniuses properties temperaments essences flavors habits genii individualities singularities sorts souls stamps hallmarks grains substances interiors tempers metals earmarks points ways stuff savors makeups marks essentialities interiorities essentialities savours 7 as in people a member of the human race you wouldn't believe what kind of characters hang around the bus station Synonyms & Similar Words people lives creatures men guys things individuals humans personalities birds souls beings personages customers bodies fishes fish specimens ducks babies sorts mortals faces parties eggs human beings cookies devils scouts wights stiffs sons of man bods fellows heads brothers neighbors hominids celebrities slobs selves humanoids fellowmen homos brethren somebodies Antonyms & Near Antonyms animals beasts critters brutes beasties characters 2 of 2 verb present tense third-person singular of character as in characterizes to point out the chief quality or qualities of an individual or group formerly charactered as "the dark ages," that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought Synonyms & Similar Words characterizes describes portrays types depicts defines represents names colors identifies stamps pigeonholes classifies indicates categorizes marks specifies individualizes particularizes distinguishes
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character

noun

adjective

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing character

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun

noun

verb