Word 'characteristic' in Other Languages
- characteristic in Assamese অসমীয়া
- characteristic in Bengali বাংলা
- characteristic in Bodo बड़ो
- characteristic in Dogri डोगरी
- characteristic in English
- characteristic in Gujarati ગુજરાતી
- characteristic in Hindi हिन्दी
- characteristic in Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ
- characteristic in Kashmiri कॉशुर
- characteristic in Konkani कोंकणी
- characteristic in Maithili মৈথিলী
- characteristic in Malayalam മലയാളം
- characteristic in Manipuri মৈতৈলোন্
- characteristic in Marathi मराठी
- characteristic in Nepali नेपाली
- characteristic in Oriya ଓଡ଼ିଆ
- characteristic in Punjabi ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
- characteristic in Sanskrit संस्कृतम्
- characteristic in Santali
- characteristic in Sindhi سنڌي
- characteristic in Tamil தமிழ்
- characteristic in Telugu తెలుగు
- characteristic in Urdu اُردُو
Characteristic
Part of Speech
Noun, Adjective
Pronunciation
/ˌkær.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/ (British English)
/ˌker.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/ (American English)
Definitions
As a Noun:
- A distinguishing trait, quality, or property of a person, object, or concept.
As an Adjective:
- Indicating or typical of a particular person, place, or thing.
Usage Examples
- One characteristic of a great leader is empathy. (Noun)
- Her characteristic smile brightened up the room. (Adjective)
Etymology
From French "charactéristique" and Greek "kharaktēristikós" (χαρακτηριστικός), meaning "marking or distinguishing," derived from "kharaktēr" (χαρακτήρ), meaning "engraved mark or trait."
Synonyms
- Trait
- Feature
- Quality
- Attribute
- Distinction
Antonyms
- Anomaly
- Irregularity
- Uncharacteristic
Translations
| Language | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Característica | /ka.ɾak.te.ɾisˈti.ka/ |
| French | Caractéristique | /ka.ʁak.te.ʁis.tik/ |
| Hindi | विशेषता | /vi.ʃeʃ.ta/ |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 特征 | /tè zhēng/ |
| Japanese | 特徴 | /tokuchō/ |
| German | Charakteristisch | /ka.ʁak.tɛʁɪs.tɪʃ/ |
| Tamil | லட்சணம் | /laṭcaṇam/ |
| Telugu | లక్షణం | /lakṣaṇaṁ/ |
Regional Pronunciation Variations
- British English: /ˌkær.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/
- American English: /ˌker.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/
- Australian English: /ˌkær.ək.təˈrɪs.tɪk/
Historical Usage
The term "characteristic" has been used since the late 17th century in philosophy and science to describe distinctive traits or properties of objects and living beings.
Cultural Nuances
The word "characteristic" is widely used in various fields such as psychology, science, literature, and linguistics to define key traits. In different cultures, the concept of characteristics may include moral, physical, and social attributes.
More Information
"Characteristic" is frequently used in both everyday and academic contexts to describe defining traits. It plays an essential role in discussions of identity, classification, and analysis, making it a fundamental concept across multiple disciplines.