characteristic
Americanadjective
noun
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characteristics
plural
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a distinguishing feature or quality.
Generosity is his chief characteristic.
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Mathematics.
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the integral part of a common logarithm.
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the exponent of 10 in a number expressed in scientific notation.
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the smallest positive integer n such that each element of a given ring added to itself n times results in 0.
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noun
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a distinguishing quality, attribute, or trait
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maths
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the integral part of a common logarithm, indicating the order of magnitude of the associated number Compare mantissa
the characteristic of 2.4771 is 2
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another name for exponent, used esp in number representation in computing
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adjective
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The part of a logarithm to the base 10 that is to the left of the decimal point. For example, if 2.749 is a logarithm, 2 is the characteristic.
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Compare mantissa
Synonym Usage
See feature.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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noncharacteristicadjective
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quasi-characteristicadjective
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uncharacteristicadjective
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characteristicallyadverb
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noncharacteristicallyadverb
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quasi-characteristicallyadverb
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uncharacteristicallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of characteristic
First recorded in 1655–65; from Greek charaktēristikós ( see character, -istic)
Explanation
If something is a characteristic of someone or something, it is a feature you would expect. A characteristic of classical-style architecture is large stone columns. A characteristic of poodles is their pom-pom like tails. A characteristic feature needn't just be a something physically apparent, it can describe a type of personality or atmosphere as well, as in: "The characteristic of all funeral homes is their gloomy air." As their spelling and meaning implies, there is a close link between the words characteristic and character, meaning the essential nature of a thing, and in fact both words come from the ancient Greek kharackter, meaning a "symbol or imprint on the soul."
Vocabulary lists containing characteristic
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Academic Vocabulary Toolkit 1, Words 11-20
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She is beautiful and desirable, but her sexuality isn’t the defining characteristic of her existence — something we don’t see enough when it comes to Latina roles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Instead of relying on invasive brain biopsies to look for characteristic tissue abnormalities, doctors could use genetic testing from a blood sample to identify the mutations associated with the disease.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
The Dodgers actually hit into three double plays Sunday — an entirely characteristic plot point for an older, slower team that hit into a league-leading 128 double plays this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
Over time, these clusters can contribute to the formation of plaques, one of the characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
“Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.”
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
The researchers found that structured light possesses its own topological characteristics, encoded in the arrangement of its polarization.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
He suggested an intriguing analogy with biological evolution, in which different useful characteristics can emerge through separate processes.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
Scharp identified eight characteristics of estrangement, or areas in which adult children who are pulling away from their parents change their behaviors or feelings:
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
The crew also conducted nutrition-focused research and examined how physical characteristics may affect blood flow during spaceflight to help keep astronauts safe and healthy on future missions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Popular imagination and ignorance with respect to his past lent Barrabas the most mythological characteristics.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
