characteristic

[kar-ik-tuh-ris-tik]

See more synonyms for characteristic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

Also char·ac·ter·is·ti·cal. pertaining to, constituting, or indicating the character or peculiar quality of a person or thing; typical; distinctive: Red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn.

noun

a distinguishing feature or quality: Generosity is his chief characteristic.
Mathematics.
1. the integral part of a common logarithm.Compare mantissa.
2. the exponent of 10 in a number expressed in scientific notation.
3. the smallest positive integer n such that each element of a given ring added to itself n times results in 0.

Origin of characteristic

From the Greek word charaktēristikós, dating back to 1655–65. See character, -istic

Related formschar·ac·ter·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbnon·char·ac·ter·is·tic, adjectivenon·char·ac·ter·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbqua·si-char·ac·ter·is·tic, adjectivequa·si-char·ac·ter·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbun·char·ac·ter·is·tic, adjectiveun·char·ac·ter·is·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Synonyms for characteristic

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1. special, peculiar. 2. attribute, property, trait. See feature.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for uncharacteristic

atypical, exceptional, novel, uncommon, unconventional, unexpected, unordinary, uncharacteristic, accidental, adventitious, extraneous, extrinsic, heterogeneous, immaterial, impertinent, incompatible, incongruous, inconsistent, repugnant, unrelated

Examples from the Web for uncharacteristic

Contemporary Examples of uncharacteristic

In this case, a new and uncharacteristic American risk-aversion has been crippling.
Of Course It's Not ‘Too Late’ in Syria
Hussein Ibish
June 17, 2013
At lunchtime, she sits at a table with four boys and enjoys an uncharacteristic (for a model) meal of pizza and cookies.
Ralph Lauren Child Model, From Roadside to Runway
Claire Stern
May 23, 2013
The Middle East was the source of an uncharacteristic vibe at Davos: fatalism.
Political Tensions Takes Center Stage at World Economic Forum
Daniel Gross
January 27, 2013
In launching Operation Pillar of Defence, Netanyahu is taking an uncharacteristic gamble—albeit a calculated risk.
Living By The Sword
Daniel Levy
November 16, 2012
Nonetheless, the fresh start seems to have imbued Farrell with uncharacteristic humility.
Colin Farrell Eyes Return to Hollywood A-List With ‘Total Recall’ Reboot
Chris Lee
August 3, 2012

Historical Examples of uncharacteristic

Suddenly he did a simple thing, but so uncharacteristic that it moved her.
The Forsyte Saga, Complete
John Galsworthy
And this was most uncharacteristic of Goil, particularly in a situation like this one.
Jack of No Trades
Charles Cottrell
This outburst, so uncharacteristic and so unexpected, did not bear for him a grain of pathos.
An Ambitious Woman
Edgar Fawcett
He looked with uncharacteristic alertness at the inexpressive face of the leisurely narrator.
The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains
Charles Egbert Craddock
But it was not the cry of victory; there was an uncharacteristic lack of finality in the clergyman's tone.
Peccavi
E. W. Hornung

British Dictionary definitions for uncharacteristic

uncharacteristic

adjective

not typical or usual

characteristic

noun

a distinguishing quality, attribute, or trait
maths
1. the integral part of a common logarithm, indicating the order of magnitude of the associated numberthe characteristic of 2.4771 is 2 Compare mantissa
2. another name for exponent, used esp in number representation in computing

adjective

indicative of a distinctive quality, etc; typical

Derived Formscharacteristically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for uncharacteristic

adj.

1753, from un- (1) "not" + characteristic (adj.). Related: Uncharacteristically.

characteristic

adjective and noun both first attested 1660s, from character + -istic on model of Greek kharakteristikos. Earlier in the adjectival sense was characteristical (1620s). Related: Characteristically (1640s). Characteristics "distinctive traits" also attested from 1660s.

uncharacteristic in Medicine

characteristic

[kăr′ək-tə-rĭs′tĭk]

A distinguishing feature or attribute; character.
A structure or function determined by a gene or genes; trait.

Related formschar′ac•ter•is′tic adj.

uncharacteristic in Science

characteristic

[kăr′ək-tə-rĭs′tĭk]

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. Compare mantissa.