characteristic

characteristic
I. noun Date: 1664 1. a distinguishing trait, quality, or property 2. the integral part of a common logarithm 3. the smallest positive integer n which for an operation in a ring or field yields 0 when any element is used n times with the operation II. adjective Date: 1665 revealing, distinguishing, or typical of an individual character • characteristically adverb Synonyms: characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive mean indicating a special quality or identity. characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class <
responded with her characteristic wit
>
. individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class <
a highly individual writing style
>
. peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness <
an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British
>
. distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy <
a distinctive aura of grace and elegance
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • characteristic — adj Characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive are comparable when they mean indicating or revealing the special quality or qualities of a particular person or thing or of a particular group of persons or things. Characteristic stresses… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Characteristic — (from the Greek word for a property or attribute (= trait) of an entity) may refer to: In physics and engineering, any characteristic curve that shows the relationship between certain input and output parameters, for example: I V or current… …   Wikipedia

  • characteristic — [kar΄ək tər is′tik, kar΄iktər is′tik] adj. [Gr charaktēristikos: see CHARACTER] of or constituting the special character; typical; distinctive [the characteristic odor of cabbage] n. 1. a distinguishing trait, feature, or quality; peculiarity 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • characteristic — I noun aspect, attribute, cast, constitution, differentia, differential, distinction, distinctive feature, distinguishing trait, essence, essential part, feature, humor, idiocrasy, idiosyncrasy, immanence, inclination, individuality, inherence,… …   Law dictionary

  • Characteristic — Char ac*ter*is tic, a. [Gr. ?: cf. F. charact[ e]ristique.] Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • characteristic — [adj] typical; distinguishing appropriate, diagnostic, differentiating, discriminating, discriminative, distinctive, distinguishing, emblematic, especial, essential, exclusive, fixed, idiosyncratic, inborn, inbred, indicative, individual,… …   New thesaurus

  • Characteristic — Char ac*ter*is tic, n. 1. A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized. Pope. [1913 Webster] The characteristics of a true critic. Johnson. [1913 Webster] 2. (Math.) The integral part (whether… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • characteristic — characteristic. См. признак. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • characteristic — characteristic. = character (см.). (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • characteristic — adjective and noun both first attested 1660s, from CHARACTER (Cf. character) + ISTIC (Cf. istic) on model of Gk. kharakteristikos. Earlier in the adjectival sense was characteristical (1620s). Related: Characteristically. Characteristics… …   Etymology dictionary

  • characteristic — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ typical of a particular person, place, or thing. ► NOUN ▪ a feature or quality typical of a person, place, or thing. DERIVATIVES characteristically adverb …   English terms dictionary

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