characteristic

1 of 2

noun

char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-stik 

ˌka-rik-

plural characteristics

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

ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌka-rik-

adverb

Synonyms

Noun

• trait
• feature
• attribute
• quality
• attribution
• criterion
• hallmark

Adjective

• distinctive
• distinguishing
• distinct
• typical

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

There are nearly 50 species of pine trees native to North America with diverse characteristics and growing preferences. —Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2025

That’s why researchers have spent decades trying to use genetics and behavioral characteristics to divide the spectrum into meaningful subtypes. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 10 July 2025

Adjective

That’s a characteristic Amorim associates with Heaven. —Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 10 July 2025

Measles symptoms Initial measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a characteristic rash that begins to develop a few days later. —Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 9 July 2025

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

Phrases Containing characteristic

• characteristic equation
• characteristic polynomial
• characteristic root
• characteristic value
• characteristic vector
• secondary sex characteristic

Rhymes for characteristic

• anachronistic
• animalistic
• antagonistic
• antiphlogistic
• behavioristic
• cannibalistic
• capitalistic
• collectivistic
• deterministic
• ethnolinguistic
• expressionistic
• idealistic

Kids Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 noun

char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik 

: 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

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 adjective

char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik 

: serving to reveal and distinguish the individual character

characteristically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

characteristic

2 of 2 noun

: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property