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character
[ kar-ik-ter ]
noun
- the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
- one such feature or trait; characteristic.
- moral or ethical quality:
a man of fine, honorable character.
- qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity:
It takes character to face up to a bully.
- reputation:
a stain on one's character.
- good repute.
- an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
- a person, especially with reference to behavior or personality:
a suspicious character.
- Informal. an odd, eccentric, or unusual person.
- a person represented in a drama, story, etc.
- a part or role, as in a play or film.
- a symbol as used in a writing system, as a letter of the alphabet.
- the symbols of a writing system collectively.
- a significant visual mark or symbol.
Synonyms: sign
- status or capacity:
the character of a justice of the peace.
- a written statement from an employer concerning the qualities of a former employee.
- Literature. (especially in 17th- and 18th-century England) a formal character sketch or descriptive analysis of a particular human virtue or vice as represented in a person or type. Compare character sketch.
- Genetics. any trait, function, structure, or substance of an organism resulting from the effect of one or more genes as modified by the environment.
- Computers.
- any symbol, as a number, letter, punctuation mark, etc., that represents data and that, when encoded, is usable by a machine.
- one of a set of basic symbols that singly or in a series of two or more represents data and, when encoded, is usable in a computer.
- a style of writing or printing.
- Roman Catholic Theology. the ineffaceable imprint received on the soul through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and ordination.
- (formerly) a cipher or cipher message.
adjective
- Theater.
- (of a part or role) representing a personality type, especially by emphasizing distinctive traits, as language, mannerisms, physical makeup, etc.
- (of an actor or actress) acting or specializing in such roles.
verb (used with object)
- to portray; describe.
- to engrave; inscribe.
character
/ ˈkærɪktə /
noun
- the combination of traits and qualities distinguishing the individual nature of a person or thing
- one such distinguishing quality; characteristic
- moral force; integrity
a man of character
- reputation, esp a good reputation
- ( as modifier )
character assassination
- a summary or account of a person's qualities and achievements; testimonial
my last employer gave me a good character
- capacity, position, or status
he spoke in the character of a friend rather than a father
- a person represented in a play, film, story, etc; role
- an outstanding person
one of the great characters of the century
- informal.an odd, eccentric, or unusual person
he's quite a character
- an informal word for person
a shady character
- a symbol used in a writing system, such as a letter of the alphabet
- Also calledsort printing any single letter, numeral, punctuation mark, or symbol cast as a type
- computing any letter, numeral, etc, which is a unit of information and can be represented uniquely by a binary pattern
- a style of writing or printing
- genetics any structure, function, attribute, etc, in an organism, which may or may not be determined by a gene or group of genes
- a short prose sketch of a distinctive type of person, usually representing a vice or virtue
- in charactertypical of the apparent character of a person or thing
- out of characternot typical of the apparent character of a person or thing
verb
- to write, print, inscribe, or engrave
- rare.to portray or represent
character
/ kăr′ək-tər /
- Genetics.A structure, function, or attribute determined by a gene or a group of genes.
- Computer Science.A symbol, such as a letter, number, or punctuation mark, that occupies one byte of memory.
- Computer Science.See more at ASCII
character
- A person in a literary work. For example, Ebenezer Scrooge is a character in A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens .
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Derived Forms
- ˈcharacterful, adjective
- ˈcharacterless, adjective
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Other Words From
- char·ac·ter·less adjective
- un·char·ac·tered adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of character1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of character1
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Idioms and Phrases
- in character,
- in harmony with one's personal character or disposition:
Such behavior is not in character for him.
- in accordance with the role or personality assumed in a performance:
an actor in character.
- out of character,
- out of harmony with one's personal character or disposition:
Her remarks were out of character.
- away from the role or personality assumed in a performance:
The actor stepped out of character.
More idioms and phrases containing character
see in character ; out of character .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Definitions 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.
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