Definitions for characteristic
ˌkær ɪk təˈrɪs tɪkchar·ac·ter·is·tic

Princeton's WordNet(3.52 / 21 votes)Rate this definition:

1. feature, characteristic(noun)

   a prominent attribute or aspect of something

   "the map showed roads and other features"; "generosity is one of his best characteristics"

2. characteristic(noun)

   a distinguishing quality

3. characteristic(noun)

   the integer part (positive or negative) of the representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 = 2.808 the characteristic is 2

4. characteristic, device characteristic(adj)

   any measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditions

5. characteristic(adj)

   typical or distinctive

   "heard my friend's characteristic laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra"

Wiktionary(2.71 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. characteristic(Noun)

   a distinguishable feature of a person or thing

   Etymology: From χαρακτηριστικός, from χαρακτηρίζω, from χαρακτήρ.

2. characteristic(Noun)

   the integer part of a logarithm

   Etymology: From χαρακτηριστικός, from χαρακτηρίζω, from χαρακτήρ.

3. characteristic(Noun)

   the distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc)

   Etymology: From χαρακτηριστικός, from χαρακτηρίζω, from χαρακτήρ.

4. characteristic(Noun)

   The minimum number of times that the unit of a field must be added unto itself in order to yield that field's zero, or, if that minimum natural number does not exist, then (the integer) zero.

   Etymology: From χαρακτηριστικός, from χαρακτηρίζω, from χαρακτήρ.

5. characteristic(Adjective)

   being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing

   Etymology: From χαρακτηριστικός, from χαρακτηρίζω, from χαρακτήρ.

Webster Dictionary(3.40 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Characteristic(adj)

   pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive

   Etymology: [Gr. : cf. F. charactristique.]

2. Characteristic(noun)

   a distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized

   Etymology: [Gr. : cf. F. charactristique.]

3. Characteristic(noun)

   the integral part (whether positive or negative) of a logarithm

   Etymology: [Gr. : cf. F. charactristique.]

Freebase(3.17 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Characteristic

   In mathematics, the characteristic of a ring R, often denoted char, is defined to be the smallest number of times one must use the ring's multiplicative identity element in a sum to get the additive identity element; the ring is said to have characteristic zero if this repeated sum never reaches the additive identity. That is, char is the smallest positive number n such that if such a number n exists, and 0 otherwise. The characteristic may also be taken to be the exponent of the ring's additive group, that is, the smallest positive n such that for every element a of the ring. Some authors do not include the multiplicative identity element in their requirements for a ring, and this definition is suitable for that convention; otherwise the two definitions are equivalent due to the distributive law in rings.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. characteristic

   A specific quality.

   The characteristics were so clear, she was so honest.

   Submitted by MaryC on March 4, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'characteristic' in Nouns Frequency: #904

2. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'characteristic' in Adjectives Frequency: #691

How to pronounce characteristic?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say characteristic in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of characteristic in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of characteristic in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of characteristic in a Sentence

1. Hanna Holborn Gray:

   The university's characteristic state may be summarized by the words of the lady who said, I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.

2. Albert Einstein:

   Innumerable voices have been asserting for some time now that human society is passing through a crisis, that its stability has been gravely shattered. It is characteristic of such a situation that individuals feel indifferent or even hostile toward the group, small or large, to which they belong. In order to illustrate my meaning, let me record here a personal experience. I recently discussed with an intelligent and well-disposed man the threat of another war, which in my opinion would seriously endanger the existence of mankind, and I remarked that only a supranational organization would offer protection from that danger. Thereupon my visitor, very calmly and coolly, said to me Why are you so deeply opposed to the disappearance of the human race

3. Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh:

   On the floating islands, we conducted embankment (consolidation) to prevent them from waves and erosion, to ensure safety for the people and the soldiers stationed on the islands, on the submerged islands, we only built small houses, which can accommodate a few people and we are not expanding. The scope and characteristic of our work is purely civilian.

4. Letitia Elizabeth Landon:

   Every age has its characteristic, and our present one is not behind its predecessors in that respect ; it is the age of systems, every system enforced by a treatise.

5. Michel Sapin:

   The characteristic of this terrorism is that it is low-cost terrorism but with considerable impact.

Images & Illustrations of characteristic

Popularity rank by frequency of use