characteristic

1 of 2

noun

char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-stik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
ˌka-rik-
plural characteristics
Synonyms of characteristic
1
: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property
the characteristics of this breed of dog
2
: the integral part of a common logarithm
3
: the smallest positive integer n which for an operation in a ring or field yields 0 when any element is used n times with the operation

characteristic

2 of 2

adjective

: revealing, distinguishing, or typical of an individual character
a poetic style characteristic of the epic
characteristically
ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
ˌka-rik-
adverb

Synonyms of characteristic

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Noun

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for characteristic

characteristic, individual, peculiar, distinctive mean indicating a special quality or identity.

characteristic applies to something that distinguishes or identifies a person or thing or class.

responded with her characteristic wit

individual stresses qualities that distinguish one from all other members of the same kind or class.

a highly individual writing style

peculiar applies to qualities possessed only by a particular individual or class or kind and stresses rarity or uniqueness.

an eccentricity that is peculiar to the British

distinctive indicates qualities distinguishing and uncommon and often superior or praiseworthy.

a distinctive aura of grace and elegance

Examples of characteristic in a Sentence

Noun the ability to fashion tools and other characteristics that distinguish human beings from other animals Adjective He responded to their comments with characteristic good humor. the characteristic taste of licorice
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Directly transferring the original walking policy failed because the second robot had different body proportions, joint configurations, and motor characteristics. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 According to the team, each of those characteristics plays out similarly in real fish of various sizes across different ecological niches. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Anedda’s capacity to turn perspectives around by narrating unwritten angles in the same story is her most characteristic gift. — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 While cognitive decline is far more common among individuals over 65 years, some genetic mutations cause the same characteristic loss of memory and mental processing in children. — Mike McRae 26, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for characteristic

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see character entry 1

Adjective

see character entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of characteristic was in 1646

Phrases Containing characteristic

Rhymes for characteristic

See All Rhymes for characteristic

Browse Nearby Words

characterisation
characteristic
characteristically
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Characteristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/characteristic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 noun
char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
: a special quality or appearance that makes an individual or group different from others

characteristic

2 of 2 adjective
: typical of an individual or group
characteristically
-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

characteristic

1 of 2 adjective
char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌkar-ik-tə-ˈris-tik How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
: serving to reveal and distinguish the individual character
characteristically
-ti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce characteristic (audio)
adverb

characteristic

2 of 2 noun
: a distinguishing trait, quality, or property
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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