Definitions for characterˈkær ɪk tər

Random House Webster's College Dictionary

char•ac•ter^*ˈkær ɪk tər(n.)

the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of a person or thing.
one such feature or trait; characteristic.
moral or ethical quality:
a woman of strong character.
qualities of honesty, fortitude, etc.; integrity.
reputation:
a stain on one's character.
distinctive, often interesting qualities:
an old pub with a lot of character.
a person, esp. with reference to behavior or personality:
a suspicious character.
an odd, eccentric, or unusual person.
Category: Informal
a person represented in a drama, story, etc.
Category: Literature, Showbiz
a role, as in a play or film.
Category: Literature, Showbiz
status or capacity:
in his character of a justice of the peace.
a symbol used in a system of writing:
Chinese characters.
Category: Language/Linguistics
a significant visual mark or symbol.
an account of a person's qualities, abilities, etc.; reference.
(in 17th- and 18th-century literature) a sketch of a particular virtue or vice represented in a person or type.
Category: Literature
any trait, function, structure, or substance of an organism resulting from the effect of one or more genes.
Category: Genetics
any encoded unit of computer-usable data representing a symbol, as a letter, number, or puncuation mark, or a space, carriage return, etc.
Category: Computers
a cipher or cipher message.
Category: Cryptography
(adj.)(of a theatrical role) having or requiring eccentric, comedic, ethnic, or other distinctive traits.
Category: Showbiz
(of an actor) acting or specializing in such roles.
(v.t. Archaic.)to portray; describe.
to engrave; inscribe.

Idioms for character:

in (or out of) character, in accord with (or in violation of) one's usual behavior and disposition. in accordance with (or deviating from) behavior appropriate to the role assumed by an actor.
Category: Idiom, Showbiz

^* Syn: character , personality refer to the sum of the characteristics possessed by a person. character refers esp. to the moral qualities and ethical standards that make up the inner nature of a person: a man of sterling character. personality refers particularly to outer characteristics, as wittiness or charm, that determine the impression that a person makes upon others: a pleasing personality. See also reputation.

Origin of character:

1275–1325; ME caractere < MF < L charactēr < Gk charaktḗr graving tool, its mark

char′ac•ter•less(adj.)

Princeton's WordNet

fictional character, fictitious character, character(noun)
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
"she is the main character in the novel"
quality, character, lineament(noun)
a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something
"each town has a quality all its own"; "the radical character of our demands"
character, fiber, fibre(noun)
the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions
"education has for its object the formation of character"- Herbert Spencer
character, role, theatrical role, part, persona(noun)
an actor's portrayal of someone in a play
"she played the part of Desdemona"
character, eccentric, type, case(noun)
a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
"a real character"; "a strange character"; "a friendly eccentric"; "the capable type"; "a mental case"
character(noun)
good repute
"he is a man of character"
character, reference, character reference(noun)
a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability
"requests for character references are all too often answered evasively"
character, grapheme, graphic symbol(noun)
a written symbol that is used to represent speech
"the Greek alphabet has 24 characters"
character(verb)
(genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes
character(verb)
engrave or inscribe characters on

Kernerman English Learner's Dictionary

character(noun)ˈkær ɪk tər
a person in a book, movie, etc.
characterˈkær ɪk tər
to act a particular part in a play, movie etc.
He plays the character of Benny.
characterˈkær ɪk tər
qualities that make a person or place unique; = personality
a side of her character we hadn't seen; to have a strong/weak character; the changing character of Mexican society; two schools that are very similar/different in character
characterˈkær ɪk tər
unusual behavior for sb
Yelling is completely out of character for her.
characterˈkær ɪk tər
sb of a particular kind
a suspicious-looking character
characterˈkær ɪk tər
emotional and mental strength
Climbing can be a real test of character.; an activity that builds character
characterˈkær ɪk tər
a written or printed letter or symbol
Japanese characters

Wiktionary

character(Noun)
A being involved in the action of a story.
character(Noun)
A written or printed symbol, or letter
character(Noun)
A distinguishing feature; characteristic; A complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person or a group.
A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
character(Noun)
A moral strength.
"You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."
character(Noun)
A person with many notable or eccentric features.
character(Noun)
A complex number representing an element of a finite Abelian group.
character(Noun)
One of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character.
character(Noun)
A person or individual, especially one who is unknown or raises suspicions.
We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.
character(Verb)
To write (using characters); To describe

Origin: From caracter, from caractere, from character, from χαρακτήρ, from χαράσσω.

Webster Dictionary

Character(noun)
a distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol
Character(noun)
style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character
Character(noun)
the peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition
Character(noun)
strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character
Character(noun)
moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion
Character(noun)
quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty; as, in the miserable character of a slave; in his character as a magistrate; her character as a daughter
Character(noun)
the estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation; as, a man's character for truth and veracity; to give one a bad character
Character(noun)
a written statement as to behavior, competency, etc., given to a servant
Character(noun)
a unique or extraordinary individuality; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits; a person who illustrates certain phases of character; as, Randolph was a character; Caesar is a great historical character
Character(noun)
one of the persons of a drama or novel
Character(verb)
to engrave; to inscribe
Character(verb)
to distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize

U.S. National Library of Medicine

Character
In current usage, approximately equivalent to personality. The sum of the relatively fixed personality traits and habitual modes of response of an individual.

Translations for character

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary

character(noun)

the set of qualities that make someone or something different from others; type

You can tell a man's character from his handwriting; Publicity of this character is not good for the firm.

karakterAfrikaans
شَخْصِيَّهArabic
нравBulgarian
caráterPortuguese (BR)
povaha, charakterCzech
der CharakterGerman
egenskab; personlighedDanish
χαρακτήραςGreek
carácterSpanish
iseloomEstonian
شخصیت؛ منشFarsi
luonneFinnish
caractère; genreFrench
תְכוּנָהHebrew
प्रकारHindi
karakter, značajkaCroatian
jellegHungarian
watakIndonesian
skapgerð, lunderniIcelandic
carattere, genereItalian
性格Japanese
성격Korean
charakterisLithuanian
rakstursLatvian
watakMalay
karakterDutch
(egen)art, natur, karakterNorwegian
charakterPolish
شخصیت؛ منشPersian
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carácterPortuguese
fire; genRomanian
характерRussian
povahaSlovak
značaj; vrstaSlovenian
karakterSerbian
karaktär, natur, beskaffenhetSwedish
คุณลักษณะเด่นThai
kişilik, karakterTurkish
性格Chinese (Trad.)
характер; типUkrainian
کردارUrdu
tính cáchVietnamese
特征Chinese (Simp.)