Definition of characteristic
(Entry 1 of 2)
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
adjectiveDefinition of characteristic (Entry 2 of 2)
: revealing, distinguishing, or typical of an individual character
a poetic style characteristic of the epic
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for characteristic
The first known use of characteristic was in 1646
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