Dictionary / character
character
- noun
- verb
- from Old French
A being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “character” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableA being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
- countableA distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; nature; phene.
A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.
- countableuncountableA complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.
A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
- uncountableStrength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
He has a great deal of character.
- countableA unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.
Julius Caesar is a great historical character.
- countableA written or printed symbol, or letter.
It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye.1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech: An Essay of Inquiry into the Natural Production of Letters: […], London: […] T. N[ewcomb] for J[ohn] Martyn printer to the R[oyal] Society, […], →OCLC:
- countableOne of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character.
We'll start at the beginning, with the basic building blocks not just of emoji, nor even digital communication, but of all written language: characters and character sets.2016 November 14, Rob Reed, “Everything You Need To Know About Emoji”, in Smashing Magazine, archived from the original on 12 Feb 2025:
- countableinformalA person or individual, especially one who is unknown.
We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.
- countableAn assignment of complex numbers to each element of a group, in particular a finite abelian group. More precisely, a group homomorphism into the group of units of a field (usually ℂ).
- countableQuality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty.
in the miserable character of a slave
Older & obsolete senses (5)
- countabledatedStyle of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.
- countabledatedA secret cipher; a way of writing in code.
- countabledatedThe estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation.
- countabledatedA reference given to a servant, attesting to their behaviour, competence, etc.
- countableobsoletePersonal appearance.
verb
No current senses for this part of speech — see older senses.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- obsoleteTo write (using characters); to describe.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (10)
- nounan imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story) — also: fictional character, fictitious character
- nouna characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something — also: quality, lineament
- nounthe inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; - Herbert Spencer — also: fiber, fibre
- nounan actor's portrayal of someone in a play — also: role, theatrical role, part, persona
- nouna person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities) — also: eccentric, type, case
- noungood repute
- nouna formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability — also: reference, character reference
- nouna written symbol that is used to represent speech — also: grapheme, graphic symbol
- noun(genetics) an attribute (structural or functional) that is determined by a gene or group of genes
- verbengrave or inscribe characters on
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)character
- Middle Englishcaracter
- Old Frenchcaractere
- Latincharacter
- Ancient Greekχαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr) “type, nature, character”
- Ancient Greekχαράσσω (kharássō) “to engrave”
From Middle English caracter, from Old French caractere, from Latin character, from Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “type, nature, character”), from χαράσσω (kharássō, “to engrave”). Displaced native English thew from Old English þēaw (in the plural) and Old English hād (“person, character”). Doublet of charakter.
Derivatives — words built from “character”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “character” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “character” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
character n. [L., an instrument for marking, character, Gr. caract.]
- A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol.
- Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the peculiar form of letters used by a particular person or people; as, an inscription in the Runic character.
- The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit; that which a person or thing really is; nature; disposition.
- Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; as, he has a great deal of character.
character v. t.
- To engrave; to inscribe.
- To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: A being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
nounMeaning: A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; nature; phene.
A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.
We were not able to ascertain the character of the relationship.
nounMeaning: A complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.
A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
A man of […] thoroughly subservient character1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
nounMeaning: Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
He has a great deal of character.
"You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."
nounMeaning: A unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.
Julius Caesar is a great historical character.
That bloke is such a character.
nounMeaning: A written or printed symbol, or letter.
It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye.1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech: An Essay of Inquiry into the Natural Production of Letters: […], London: […] T. N[ewcomb] for J[ohn] Martyn printer to the R[oyal] Society, […], →OCLC:
nounMeaning: an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
she is the main character in the novel
nounMeaning: a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something
the radical character of our demands
nounMeaning: the inherent complex of attributes that determines a persons moral and ethical actions and reactions; - Herbert Spencer
education has for its object the formation of character
nounMeaning: a person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities)
a real character
a strange character
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
character
/ˈkæɹ.ɪk.tə/ · char·ac·ter, cha·rac·ter
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
character
/ˈkæɹ.ɪk.tə/ · char·ac·ter, cha·rac·ter · noun, verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “character” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.”
Circle the meaning used.
“A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.”
Circle the meaning used.
“He has a great deal of character.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “character” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Ancient Greek χαράσσω. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — character
Which meaning, sentence 1: C. A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; nature; phene.
Which meaning, sentence 2: B. A complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.
Which meaning, sentence 3: B. Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
Origin: B. Old French (Old French caractere)
Journey: English character ← Middle English caracter ← Old French caractere ← Latin character ← Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ ← Ancient Greek χαράσσω
Some derivatives: bicharacter, biocharacter, character-assassinate, character-based, character-building, character-forming, characterful, characterhood
Original meaning: Ancient Greek χαράσσω — “to engrave”
Etymology: From Middle English caracter, from Old French caractere, from Latin character, from Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “type, nature, character”), from χαράσσω (kharássō, “to engrave”). Displaced native English thew from Old English þēaw (in the plural) and Old English hād (“person, character”). Doublet of charakter.
Sources: Wiktionary “character” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/character#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/character