: a distinguishing attribute or feature : characteristic
โฆ it has a fruity undertone to it. It kind of goes with the unusual character of the honey being purple.โ๐ Image Donald Dees, quoted at WRAL.com
b
: a group or category identified by a distinguishing characteristic
wines of robust character
a crime of a very serious character
c(1)
: the aggregate of distinctive qualities characteristic of something
the unique character of each wine
The head perhaps more than any other part of the dog expresses the character of the breed.โ๐ Image Marcia Schlehr, quoted at seattletimes.com
(2)
: the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes
In Mendelian genetics, a "dominant character" is a trait (such as smoothness in peas) that invariably prevails over another โฆ when genes for both are passed on to an offspring.โ๐ Image Jonathan Weiner
d
: the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation
the character of the American people
This is a side of her character [=personality] that few people have seen.
The character and culture of Lafayette are simply unmatched anywhere else in Cajun country.โ๐ Image Tara Massouleh McCay
e
: main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish
Human development gradually changed the character of the landscape.
2
a
: moral excellence and firmness
a person of character and integrity
b
: the fact of having qualities or characteristics that are interesting or impressive
Corner towers capped by domed roofs and a grand courtyard give it character, along with a moat, drawbridge, and fortified entrance that play up its medieval appeal.โ๐ Image Demetrius Simms
3
a
: someone who appears in a book, movie, etc. : a representation of an individual personality in a fictional or dramatic work
a character in a play
the novel's main/lead/central character
a minor/supporting character
fictional characters
a cartoon character
โฆ spends her days scripting stories for an entertainment company about background characters in video games.โ๐ Image Lauren Sarner
: a person marked by notable or conspicuous traits
quite a character
4
a
: a graphic symbol (such as a hieroglyph or alphabet letter) used in written communication or calculation
characters with accent marks
the Chinese character for "happiness"
This keyboard eliminates the need to search around a traditional keyboard to find the math characters you need.โ๐ Image Surur Davids
also: a unit of digital information that corresponds to such a symbol
โฆ the VLF transmitters' limited bandwidth means they can only send raw data at around thirty-five alphanumeric characters per second โฆ โ๐ Image Sebastien Roblin
Character demonstrates that a word may have many and varied meanings and yet still be easily understood by most listeners when used in disparate settings. We have little trouble distinguishing the meanings of the noun in โshe had a fine and noble character,โ โBill is always joking; heโs such a character,โ and โHe was the last character to appear in the play,โ not to mention its many other applications.
Character comes ultimately from the Greek charaktฤr (โmark, distinctive qualityโ), which passed through Latin and French before landing in English. The Greek noun itself is derived from the verb charassein, meaning โto sharpen, cut in furrows, or engrave.โ The literal sense of the noun (โan engraved or imprinted markโ) existed in Greek, Latin, and French side by side with the figurative one (โa distinctive qualityโ), and both senses were borrowed into English early on, with a variant of the figurative sense appearing first.
the sort of newspaper dealing in sensational stories
nature may imply inherent, essential resemblance rather than obvious or superficial likenesses.
two problems of a similar nature
description implies a group marked by agreement in all details belonging to a type as described or defined.
not all acts of that description are actually illegal
character implies a group marked by distinctive likenesses peculiar to the type.
research on the subject so far has been of an elementary character
Examples of character in a Sentence
Nounโฆ this makes everyone believe not only that anyone can be a parent, but also that everyone ought to do it, even those who seem by character or inclination to be ill equipped.โ๐ Image Anna Quindlen, Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2009Someone with Alzheimer's may undergo a regression to a "second childhood," but aspects of one's essential character, of personality and personhood, of self, survive โฆโ๐ Image Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia, (2007) 2008"Beat" is old carny slang. According to Beat Movement legend (and it is a movement with a deep inventory of legend), Ginsberg and Kerouac picked it up from a character named Herbert Huncke, a gay street hustler and drug addict from Chicago who began hanging around Times Square in 1939 โฆโ๐ Image Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2007Slowly, steadily, Och and Chris passed along their knowledge of the character of various courses, and the way a race evolves tactically.โ๐ Image Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike, (2000) 2001Her character struck the Swede back then as a compound in which you'd find just about everything toxic to desperation and dread. At the core of her he could imagine a nucleus of confidence plaited just as neatly and tightly as her braided hair.โ๐ Image Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
the unique character of the town
The building is very simple in character.
Their house has a lot of character. Verb
formerly charactered as โthe dark ages,โ that period of history may not have been quite so benighted as once thought
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Noun
Bruccoleri described the characterโs emotional arc in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.โ๐ Image Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026 The character, played by Esteban Andres Cruz, has been reduced to a simpering stereotype who makes a pass at a cop and mimics a blow job.โ๐ Image Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The real challenge came with piecing together a multi-character film, which was new for both of them.โ๐ Image Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026 Located at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, 'Ohana features a character breakfast with Mickey, Pluto, Lilo, and Stitch and a non-character dinner.โ๐ Image Carly Neil, USA Today, 13 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for character
Word History
Etymology
Noun, Adjective, and Verb
Middle English caracter, from Latin character mark, distinctive quality, from Greek charaktฤr, from charassein to scratch, engrave; perhaps akin to Lithuanian ลพerti to scratch
