characteristic

1 of 2

noun

char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-stik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
ˌka-rik-
1
: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property
the characteristics of this breed of dog
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

characteristic

2 of 2

adjective

: revealing, distinguishing, or typical of an individual character
a poetic style characteristic of the epic
characteristically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for characteristic

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

Examples of characteristic in a Sentence

Noun the ability to fashion tools and other characteristics that distinguish human beings from other animals Adjective He responded to their comments with characteristic good humor. the characteristic taste of licorice
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The study compared the turnout gap between white and nonwhite voters in areas once covered under Section 5 with estimates of the turnout gap in places that were never part of Section 5 but had similar demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Juliana Kim, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 Whether your pain is acute (sudden and severe) or chronic (persistent or recurrent), communicating the characteristics of pain, including its duration and location, can help your healthcare provider diagnose the cause and/or prescribe the best treatment as quickly as possible. Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 5 Mar. 2024 The drone was less than four miles away and had characteristics similar to those used in previous attacks, the Saturday statement said. Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 And each category has different characteristics, so part of the process is to consider how an individual pick fits into its style overall. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 Julian runs more, goes forward, can play multiple positions but has offensive characteristics. Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 29 Feb. 2024 Unfortunately, smoothing out or erasing the concept of disability itself into just another human characteristic doesn’t do much to help disabled people live better, feel better, or navigate the world better. Andrew Pulrang, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The 2021 agreement signed by Boeing and DOJ meant Boeing avoided prosecution for a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States by misrepresenting characteristics of the 737 Max while the FAA reviewed the plane for certification. Gregory Wallace, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 What are the characteristics of the leaders of the greatest organizations in the world? Dominik Szot, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Presenting their claim in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a top scientific journal, the researchers took the sober tone characteristic of such publications. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 But more to the point, in addition to the characteristic red box with the ATK logo, right on the cover are photos and names of father-son duo Kevin Pang and Jeffrey Pang. Joe Yonan, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024 The carnival is known in part for its mascot, Bonhomme, a snowman with a red hat, black buttons and the characteristic French Canadian ceinture fléchée, a type of sash. Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 The investigators examined the X-ray spectra of zirconium minerals and found, in addition to the characteristic lines of the element, lines of another, unknown element in the position where the lines of No. 72 should be. Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 1 Feb. 2024 Its characteristic dark-green trucks took shipments from a rail terminal to the nearest shipping office, where customers picked up their packages. Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Feb. 2024 That very characteristic, however, goes against allowing bodies to decompose as part of a natural burial. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024 Continuous Learning The constant changes characteristic of the VUCA world require leaders to be lifelong learners, continuously updating their knowledge and skills to find creative solutions to unprecedented challenges. Edyta Kwiatkowska, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 The ad had the milquetoast gleam characteristic of media generated by AI, though beyond aesthetics there’s no indication that that’s the case. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'characteristic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see character entry 1

Adjective

see character entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of characteristic was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near characteristic

Cite this Entry

“Characteristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characteristic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 noun
char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
: a special quality or appearance that makes an individual or group different from others

characteristic

2 of 2 adjective
: typical of an individual or group
characteristically adverb

Medical Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 adjective
char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
: serving to reveal and distinguish the individual character
characteristically adverb

characteristic

2 of 2 noun
: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property

More from Merriam-Webster on characteristic

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