Definition of characteristic
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
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Examples of characteristic in a Sentence
the ability to fashion tools and other characteristics that distinguish human beings from other animals
Recent Examples of characteristic from the Web
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For guests who aren’t oyster experts, two full-time people at the oyster bar are eager to share their knowledge about the characteristics of each type of oyster.
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Harve A. Mogul, United Way of Miami-Dade CEO Q. What are the characteristics of the most effective philanthropies, in your view?
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One suggests a rocky or icy core forms first, and that this core then attracts gas to form the thick atmosphere characteristic of a gas giant.
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After controlling for other factors that influence financial literacy (student characteristics, math scores, etc.), low-income students are more than twice as likely as high-income students to score in the bottom tier.
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This characteristic of an oral culture is by no means exclusive to African-descended people.
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Observable characteristics such as education do little to explain the discrepancy, Fed research shows.
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But Trump collected an inner circle of people whose most striking characteristic was anomalously close relations with Moscow.
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Still, two or three characteristics might not properly distinguish malware from legitimate software.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'characteristic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of characteristic
see 1character
characteristic
Definition of characteristic
: revealing, distinguishing, or typical of an individual character a poetic style characteristic of the epic
Examples of characteristic in a Sentence
He responded to their comments with characteristic good humor.
the characteristic taste of licorice
Recent Examples of characteristic from the Web
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Typical symptoms of true Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash that may have a characteristic bull's eye shape.
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The innovative chamber-music organization will bring its characteristic enthusiasm to the last two programs of its 10th season.
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The Seabord Savanna-Americus Railway Depot at Fort Davis in southern Macon County is characteristic of small town railroad stations constructed across the South at the turn of the 20th century.
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Trump later told European leaders, using his characteristic hyperbole to describe his welcome in Saudi.
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Lawmaker Oren Hazan, a politician in Netanyahu's Likud party with a reputation for inappropriate antics, gave Trump a taste of his own medicine by giving the president his own characteristic handshake.
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The researchers coated conventional paper with nanoparticles of two chemicals: Prussian blue, the pigment that gives blueprints their characteristic color, and titanium dioxide, a substance used in sunscreens.
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Meanwhile, Trump is considering former Senator Joe Lieberman for FBI director—an unusual but characteristic choice given Lieberman’s lack of experience in law enforcement.
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Carlos Vives’ songs are ebullient anthems that fill stadiums with the sounds of Colombia’s most characteristic and sacred rhythms remixed and blended with pop music, rock ’n’ roll and even — thanks to his compatriot Shakira — reggaeton.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'characteristic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of characteristic
see 1character
Synonym Discussion of characteristic
CHARACTERISTIC Defined for English Language Learners
characteristic
playDefinition of characteristic for English Language Learners
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: a special quality or trait that makes a person, thing, or group different from others
characteristic
Definition of characteristic for English Language Learners
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: typical of a person, thing, or group : showing the special qualities or traits of a person, thing, or group
CHARACTERISTIC Defined for Kids
Definition of characteristic for Students
: a special quality or appearance that makes an individual or a group different from others physical characteristics Gentleness is a characteristic of this dog breed.
Definition of characteristic for Students
: serving to distinguish an individual or a group : typical of a person, thing, or group He replied with characteristic good humor.
characteristically
\ˌker-ək-tə-ˈris-ti-kə-lē\ adverb She was characteristically cheerful.Medical Dictionary
characteristic
Medical Definition of characteristic
: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property
Learn More about characteristic
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See words that rhyme with characteristic Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for characteristic Spanish Central: Translation of characteristic Nglish: Translation of characteristic for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of characteristic for Arabic speakers
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