Character

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkæɹɪktə/

Definitions

1. A distinctive quality, trait, or feature that defines the nature of a person, thing, or group
2. The set of moral and mental traits that distinguish an individual ; a written or printed symbol representing a letter, number, or punctuation mark ; a person portrayed in a narrative or drama
3. The combination of attributes that form a person's nature ; a graphic sign used to represent language or data ; an invented figure in literature, theatre, or film

Etymology: The Greek word "kharaktēr" began as a tool for making marks. It came from "kharassō," meaning "to engrave" or "to scratch," and originally referred to an engraved mark or stamp, the kind pressed into coins or seals. From that sense of an impressed mark came the idea of a distinguishing feature, which is how the Greeks also used it for the qualities that set one person apart from another. The word reached English through Latin "character" and Old French "caractere," arriving in Middle English as "caracter." English already had its own words for personal qualities, such as "thew" and "hede," but the Greek-derived term gradually displaced them. A close relative, "charakter," entered German from the same Greek source and kept a similar range of meanings.

Synonyms: personality, identity, nature, trait, figure

Antonyms: impersonality, uniformity, monotony, sameness, lack