character

character
\ \ [14] The ultimate source of character is Greek kharaktér, a derivative of the verb kharásseinsharpen, engrave, cut’, which in turn came from kharaxpointed stake’. Kharaktér meant ‘engraved mark’, and hence was applied metaphorically to the particular impress or stamp which marked one thing as different from another – its ‘character’. The word came into English via Latin charactēr and Old French caractere. Characteristic followed in the 17th century.
\ \ Cf.GASH

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Character — • A consideration of the term as it is used in psychology and ethics Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Character     Character     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Character — Char ac*ter, n. [L., an instrument for marking, character, Gr. ?, fr. ? to make sharp, to cut into furrows, to engrave: cf. F. caract[ e]re.] [1913 Webster] 1. A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or symbol. [1913 Webster] It were much to be… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Character — Character(s) may refer to: Contents 1 Art and entertainment 2 Mathematics, science and technology 3 Symbols 4 Other …   Wikipedia

  • Character — Студий …   Википедия

  • character — Fowler (1926) argued that character should not be used (1) as an alternative to forming abstract nouns in ness, ity, etc., e.g. • Every housing site has its own unique character Country Life, 1972 [instead of uniqueness or…is unique], and (2) in… …   Modern English usage

  • character — [kar′ək tər, kar′iktər] n. [ME carecter < OFr caractère < L character, an engraving instrument < Gr charaktēr < charassein, to engrave < charax, pointed stake] 1. a distinctive mark 2. a) any letter, figure, or symbol used in… …   English World dictionary

  • character — [n1] individuality appearance, aspect, attribute, badge, bent, caliber, cast, complex, complexion, constitution, crasis, disposition, emotions, estimation, ethos, frame, frame of mind, genius, grain, habit, humor, kind, makeup, mettle, mood,… …   New thesaurus

  • character — I (an individual) noun being, body, figure, human, human being, man, mortal, party, person, personage, personality, self determined being, somebody, someone II (personal quality) noun animus, aspects, attribute, bent, characteristic mood,… …   Law dictionary

  • Character — (engl.: „Charakter“ oder „Schriftzeichen“) steht für: Char (Datentyp), einen Datentyp in der Informationstechnologie Character (Album), ein Album der Metalband Dark Tranquillity Character indelebilis, untilgbares Merkmal, Begriff aus der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • character — (n.) early 14c., from O.Fr. caractere (13c., Mod.Fr. caractère), from L. character, from Gk. kharakter engraved mark, also symbol or imprint on the soul, from kharassein to engrave, from kharax pointed stake, from PIE root *gher to scrape,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • character — n 1 Character, symbol, sign, mark are comparable in the specific sense of an arbitrary or conventional device that is used in writing and in printing, but is neither a word nor a phrase nor a picture. Character suggests the distinctive form or… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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