characteristic [ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪk]n1. a distinguishing quality, attribute, or trait 2. (Mathematics) Mathsa. the integral part of a common logarithm, indicating the order of magnitude of the associated number the characteristic of 2.4771 is 2 Compare mantissa b. another name for exponent [4] esp in number representation in computing adj indicative of a distinctive quality, etc.; typical characteristically adv
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. | characteristic - a prominent attribute or aspect of something; "the map showed roads and other features"; "generosity is one of his best characteristics"attribute, dimension, property - a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished; "self-confidence is not an endearing property" invariant - a feature (quantity or property or function) that remains unchanged when a particular transformation is applied to it aspect, facet - a distinct feature or element in a problem; "he studied every facet of the question" badge - any feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank); "wearing a tie was regarded as a badge of respectability" centerpiece, centrepiece - the central or most important feature; "education was the centerpiece of the Democratic Party's political platform" contour - a feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure; "the contours of the melody"; "it defines a major contour of this administration" excellence, excellency - an outstanding feature; something in which something or someone excels; "a center of manufacturing excellence"; "the use of herbs is one of the excellencies of French cuisine" external - outward features; "he enjoyed the solemn externals of religion" safety feature - feature of an artifact that is added to insure a user's safety | | 2. | characteristic - a distinguishing qualitypassport, recommendation - any quality or characteristic that gains a person a favorable reception or acceptance or admission; "her pleasant personality is already a recommendation"; "his wealth was not a passport into the exclusive circles of society" compatibility - capability of existing or performing in harmonious or congenial combination incompatibility - the quality of being unable to exist or work in congenial combination quality - an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone; "the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare nature - the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized; "it is the nature of fire to burn"; "the true nature of jealousy" spot, point - an outstanding characteristic; "his acting was one of the high points of the movie" point - a distinguishing or individuating characteristic; "he knows my bad points as well as my good points" saving grace - a redeeming quality or characteristic; "her love of music remains her one saving grace"; "her sense of humor has to be a saving grace"; "the saving grace for both developments is that they are creating jobs" aspect - a characteristic to be considered indirectness - having the characteristic of lacking a true course toward a goal robustness - the characteristic of being strong enough to withstand intellectual challenge; "the lack of robustness in the findings may be due to the small size of the sample" rurality, ruralism - a rural characteristic or trait; "a place with the rurality of a turnip field" streak - a distinctive characteristic; "he has a stubborn streak"; "a streak of wildness" | | 3. | characteristic - the integer part (positive or negative) of the representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 = 2.808 the characteristic is 2integer, whole number - any of the natural numbers (positive or negative) or zero; "an integer is a number that is not a fraction" | | 4. | characteristic - any measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditionsproperty - a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class; "a study of the physical properties of atomic particles" electronics - the branch of physics that deals with the emission and effects of electrons and with the use of electronic devices | | Adj. | 1. | characteristic - typical or distinctive; "heard my friend's characteristic laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra"typical - exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category; "a typical American girl"; "a typical suburban community"; "the typical car owner drives 10,000 miles a year"; "a painting typical of the Impressionist school"; "a typical romantic poem"; "a typical case of arteritis" uncharacteristic - distinctive and not typical; "a book uncharacteristic of its author" |
characteristicadjective typical, special, individual, specific, representative, distinguishing, distinctive, signature, peculiar, singular, idiosyncratic, symptomatic Windmills are a characteristic feature of the landscape. typical rare, unusual, uncharacteristic, unrepresentative
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