Character

/ˈkæ.ɹɪk.tə/ · noun

Meaning

(countable) A being involved in the action of a story; a persona..

Definitions by Sense

1. (countable) A being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
2. (countable) A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; nature; phene.
3. (uncountable, countable) A complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.
4. (uncountable) Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.
5. (countable) A unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.
6. (countable) A written or printed symbol, or letter.
7. (countable, dated) Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.
8. (countable, dated) A secret cipher; a way of writing in code.

Example Sentences

[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 …

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.

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.

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.

A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.

A man of […] thoroughly subservient character

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.

Synonyms for character

Antonyms for character

Related Words

Word Forms

• characters
• charactering
• charactered

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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