characterization

[kar-ik-ter-uh-zey-shuhn, -truh-zey-]

noun

1. portrayal; description.

   the actor's characterization of a politician.

   Synonyms: delineation, depiction, representation

2. the act of characterizing or describing the individual quality of a person or thing.

3. the creation and convincing representation of fictitious characters, as in a literary work.

characterization

/ ˌkærɪktəraɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. description of character, traits, etc

2. the act of characterizing

Other Word Forms

• recharacterization noun
• self-characterization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of characterization¹

1560–70; < Medieval Latin charactērizāt ( us ) marked (past participle of charactērizāre to characterize; -ate ¹ ) + Latin -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

But that dull reality hasn’t stopped the characterizations that the Bad Bunny decision is a deep state conspiracy, designed to rot American households from the inside out.

From Los Angeles Times

The police union’s characterization of Harris as a “failed presidential candidate” who should pay for her own security was gratuitously inappropriate and irrelevant to legitimate security considerations.

From Los Angeles Times

My query to the White House, asking what exactly is so offensive about this characterization of the Mexicans who stayed in California after it became part of the U.S., was acknowledged yet not answered.

From Los Angeles Times

You wouldn’t mistake anybody’s turn for a full-throated or, conversely, subtle characterization — there’s a messiness to the cutting that prioritizes motion over stillness — but the broad strokes of personality are fun.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s a quality of intelligent feeling redolent of Rosalind in “As You Like It” in Wicks’ affecting characterization and luscious singing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• confession 
• definition 
• depiction 
• detail 
• explanation 
• information 
• narration 
• narrative 
• picture 
• portrayal 
• report 
• sketch 
• statement 
• story 
• summary 
• tale 
• version