characteristic

== English == === 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/ (General American, without the Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/, [ˌkʰæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk] (General American, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ˌkɛɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/ Hyphenation: char‧ac‧te‧ris‧tic Rhymes: -ɪstɪk === Adjective === characteristic (comparative more characteristic, superlative most characteristic) Indicating a distinguishing feature of a person or thing; typical. [from 17th c.] (now rare) Describing or pertaining to personal characters or character types; characterful. [from 17th c.] ==== Synonyms ==== distinctive exclusive idiosyncratic indicative representative signature specific typical proper ==== Antonyms ==== uncharacteristic untypical ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === characteristic (plural characteristics) A distinguishing feature of a person or thing, a part of mental or physical behavior. (mathematics) The integer part of a logarithm. (nautical) The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.). (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. 1962 [John Wiley & Sons], Nathan Jacobson, Lie Algebras, 1979, Dover, page 289, In this chapter we study the problem of classifying the finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras over an arbitrary field of characteristic 0. 1992, Simeon Ivanov (translator), P. M. Gudivok, E. Ya. Pogorilyak, On Modular Representations of Finite Groups over Integral Domains, Simeon Ivanov (editor), Galois Theory, Rings, Algebraic Groups and Their Applications, American Mathematical Society, page 87, Let R be a Noetherian factorial ring of characteristic p which is not a field. ==== Synonyms ==== (distinguishing feature of a person or thing): attribute, hallmark, idiosyncrasy, mannerism, quality, tendency, trademark, trait See also Thesaurus:characteristic ==== Coordinate terms ==== (part of a logarithm): mantissa ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== characteristically ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== mantissa === Further reading === “characteristic”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “characteristic”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. == Interlingua == === Adjective === characteristic (not comparable) characteristic ==== Related terms ==== characteristica