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). Doublet of charakter.
A being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
[I]n a tragedy, or epick poem, the hero of the piece must be advanced foremost to the view of the reader or spectator; he must outshine the rest of all the characters; he must appear the prince of them, like the sun in the Copernican system, encompassed with the less noble planets …1695, John Dryden, A Parallel of Poetry and Painting:
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:
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But Pirates! comes with all the usual Aardman strengths intact, particularly the sense that its characters and creators alike are too good-hearted and sweet to nitpick. The ambition is all in the craft rather than in the storytelling, but it’s hard to say no to the proficiency of that craft, or the mild good cheer behind it.2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 29 Apr 2012:
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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.
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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:
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Now all this was very fine, but not at all in keeping with the Celebrity's character as I had come to conceive it. The idea that adulation ever cloyed on him was ludicrous in itself. In fact I thought the whole story fishy, and came very near to saying so.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter III, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
The North Staffordshire was always a railway of character from its formation in 1845, and the Railway Member identified with it from the start was also a character. John Lewis Ricardo was M.P. for Stoke-upon-Trent ^([sic]) from 1841 to 1862.1960 March 23, N. Caplan, “The Railway Member of Parliament”, in Railway Magazine, page 209:
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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."
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Shepard: Are you attracted to other species? Kelly: Well, part of my job is predicting the motives and feelings of humans and aliens. Intimacy brings understanding. Kelly: And passion is nice wherever you find it. Character matters, not race or gender.2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Normandy SR-2:
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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.
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The North Staffordshire was always a railway of character from its formation in 1845, and the Railway Member identified with it from the start was also a character. John Lewis Ricardo was M.P. for Stoke-upon-Trent ^([sic]) from 1841 to 1862.1960 March 23, N. Caplan, “The Railway Member of Parliament”, in Railway Magazine, page 209:
STINGER: Don't screw around with me Maverick. You're a hell of an instinctive pilot. Maybe too good. I'd like to bust your butt but I can't. I got another problem here. I gotta send somebody from this squadron to Miramar. I gotta do something here, I still can't believe it. I gotta give you your dream shot, I'm gonna send you up against the best. You two characters are going to Top Gun.1986, Jim Cash; Jack Epps, Jr.; Ehud Yonay, Top Gun, California: Paramount Pictures:
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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:
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Dated Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.
an inscription in the Runic character
You know the character to be your brother's?c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences One 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:
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Informal A person or individual, especially one who is unknown.
We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.
That old guy is a real character.
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Mathematics, Sciences An 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).
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Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty.
in the miserable character of a slave
in his character as a magistrate
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Dated The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation.
a man's character for truth and veracity
Her actions give her a bad character.
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This subterraneous passage is much mended since Seneca gave so bad a character of it.1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
Somehow or other, truly or untruly, the Irish have obtained a character for gallantry1828 February, “Irish Popular Songs”, in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 13, number 72:
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Dated A reference given to a servant, attesting to their behaviour, competence, etc.
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). Doublet of charakter.
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Obsolete To write (using characters); to describe.
O Roſalind, theſe Trees ſhall be my Bookes, / And in their barkes my thoughts Ile charracter, / That euery eye, which in this Forreſt lookes, / Shall ſee thy vertue witneſt euery where.c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]: