“characteristics” is a form of
characteristic
UK /ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/ · US /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/ adjective, noun
Forms characteristics
- adjective Indicating a distinguishing feature of a person or thing; typical.
- adjective (now rare) Describing or pertaining to personal characters or character types; characterful.
- noun A distinguishing feature of a person or thing, a part of mental or physical behavior.
- noun (mathematics) The integer part of a logarithm.
- noun (nautical) The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.).
- noun (algebra, field theory, ring theory) For a given field or ring, a natural number that is either the smallest positive number n such that n instances of the multiplicative identity (1) summed together yield the additive identity (0) or, if no such number exists, the number 0. “The characteristic of a field, if non-zero, must be a prime number.”
Synonyms
distinctive exclusive idiosyncratic indicative representative signature specific typical proper attribute hallmark idiosyncrasy mannerism quality tendency trademark trait designation vein distinctiveness feature device characteristic
Antonyms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós), from χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -istic.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive.
- noun A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized. Pope.
- noun The integral part (whether positive or negative) of a logarithm.
Etymology [Gr. charactéristique.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “characteristic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details