Characteristic
adjective
Describes something that is typical or belongs to a certain person, place or thing.
The red spot is a characteristic feature of Jupiter.
Often appears as...
- characteristic feature
- characteristic trait
noun
A feature or quality that belongs to a certain person, place or thing.
One of his characteristics is his punctuality.
Often appears as...
- characteristics of
- characteristic nature
noun
In mathematics, it is the integer part of a logarithm.
In the number 3.14159, the characteristic is 3.
Often appears as...
- characteristic of a logarithm
- calculate characteristic
Usage tips
Technical
adjective
Describes something that is typical or belongs to a certain person, place or thing.
The red spot is a characteristic feature of Jupiter.
Often appears as...
- characteristic feature
- characteristic trait
noun
A feature or quality that belongs to a certain person, place or thing.
One of his characteristics is his punctuality.
Often appears as...
- characteristics of
- characteristic nature
noun
In mathematics, it is the integer part of a logarithm.
In the number 3.14159, the characteristic is 3.
Often appears as...
- characteristic of a logarithm
- calculate characteristic
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Identification
Characteristic as an adjective can describe cultural or regional features that are unique.
Sushi is a characteristic dish of Japanese cuisine.
Pro Tip 2/3Describing People
Use 'characteristic' to highlight unique habits or qualities of a person.
Her laughter is characteristic; you know it's her from afar.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Positive
Being characteristic doesn't mean it's good—it simply emphasizes distinctiveness.
Unfortunately, heavy rain is characteristic of the city's weather.
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Identification
Characteristic as an adjective can describe cultural or regional features that are unique.
Sushi is a characteristic dish of Japanese cuisine.
Pro Tip 2/3Describing People
Use 'characteristic' to highlight unique habits or qualities of a person.
Her laughter is characteristic; you know it's her from afar.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Positive
Being characteristic doesn't mean it's good—it simply emphasizes distinctiveness.
Unfortunately, heavy rain is characteristic of the city's weather.
Pro Tip 1/3Cultural Identification
Characteristic as an adjective can describe cultural or regional features that are unique.
Sushi is a characteristic dish of Japanese cuisine.
Pro Tip 2/3Describing People
Use 'characteristic' to highlight unique habits or qualities of a person.
Her laughter is characteristic; you know it's her from afar.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Positive
Being characteristic doesn't mean it's good—it simply emphasizes distinctiveness.
Unfortunately, heavy rain is characteristic of the city's weather.
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Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
laughter is a phenomenally useful index of how people are regulating their emotions together. We're not just emitting it at each other to show that we like each other, we're making ourselves feel better together. Now, I don't think this is going to be limited to romantic relationships. I think this is probably going to be a characteristic
Video examples
The world’s most...
What secrets do its pages contain? He purchased the manuscript from the cash-strapped priest at the college, and eventually brought it to the U.S., where experts have continued to puzzle over it for more than a century. Cryptologists say the writing has all the characteristics of a real language, just one that no one's ever seen before.
Video examples
An algorithm for happily...
something they did before they ever said I do and that was they chose partners with a certain set of traits and characteristics that set them up for success now think for a second about the traits of your ideal partner you might want one who's has certain personality traits
Video examples
The three different ways...
Despite laying eggs and other adaptations that we associate more with non-mammals, like the duck-bill platypus's webbed feet, bill, and the venomous spur males have on their feet, they are, in fact, mammals. That's because they share the defining characteristics of mammalia
Video examples
Schrödinger's cat: A...
like a particle. But if you repeat this experiment many times, keeping track of all the individual detections, you'll see them trace out a pattern that's characteristic of wave a set of stripes - regions with many electrons separated by regions where there are none at all.
Video examples
What makes something...
and made to go through a bewildering process where neither the cause of his arrest, nor the nature of the judicial proceedings are made clear to him. This sort of scenario is considered so characteristic of Kafka's work that scholars came up with a new word for it.
Video examples
Why is it so hard to...
adjusting their molecular and cellular characteristics to survive under stress. When they're bombarded by radiation or chemotherapy, some cancer cells can effectively switch on protective shields against whatever's attacking them by changing their gene expression.
Video examples
Best Of Attenborough And...
order to be able to reach the leaves of trees on which it browsed but a more safe characteristic is weight and you can be fairly sure the estimate of that and it reckoned that the elephant bird weighed around half a ton
Video examples
Why do people join...
most cults share some basic characteristics. A typical cult requires a high level of commitment from its members and maintains a strict hierarchy, separating unsuspecting supporters and recruits from the inner workings.
Video examples
Forensic Artistry PIPE Lost...
unique characteristics of a skull look at the old a tail very small and not not large square-shaped and not rounded those are all important of logical features which again tells you that you
Video examples
Why we laugh PIPE Sophie...
laughter is a phenomenally useful index of how people are regulating their emotions together. We're not just emitting it at each other to show that we like each other, we're making ourselves feel better together. Now, I don't think this is going to be limited to romantic relationships. I think this is probably going to be a characteristic
Video examples
The world’s most...
What secrets do its pages contain? He purchased the manuscript from the cash-strapped priest at the college, and eventually brought it to the U.S., where experts have continued to puzzle over it for more than a century. Cryptologists say the writing has all the characteristics of a real language, just one that no one's ever seen before.
Video examples
An algorithm for happily...
something they did before they ever said I do and that was they chose partners with a certain set of traits and characteristics that set them up for success now think for a second about the traits of your ideal partner you might want one who's has certain personality traits
Video examples
The three different ways...
Despite laying eggs and other adaptations that we associate more with non-mammals, like the duck-bill platypus's webbed feet, bill, and the venomous spur males have on their feet, they are, in fact, mammals. That's because they share the defining characteristics of mammalia
Video examples
Schrödinger's cat: A...
like a particle. But if you repeat this experiment many times, keeping track of all the individual detections, you'll see them trace out a pattern that's characteristic of wave a set of stripes - regions with many electrons separated by regions where there are none at all.
Video examples
What makes something...
and made to go through a bewildering process where neither the cause of his arrest, nor the nature of the judicial proceedings are made clear to him. This sort of scenario is considered so characteristic of Kafka's work that scholars came up with a new word for it.
Video examples
Why is it so hard to...
adjusting their molecular and cellular characteristics to survive under stress. When they're bombarded by radiation or chemotherapy, some cancer cells can effectively switch on protective shields against whatever's attacking them by changing their gene expression.
Video examples
Best Of Attenborough And...
order to be able to reach the leaves of trees on which it browsed but a more safe characteristic is weight and you can be fairly sure the estimate of that and it reckoned that the elephant bird weighed around half a ton
Video examples
Why do people join...
most cults share some basic characteristics. A typical cult requires a high level of commitment from its members and maintains a strict hierarchy, separating unsuspecting supporters and recruits from the inner workings.
Video examples
Forensic Artistry PIPE Lost...
unique characteristics of a skull look at the old a tail very small and not not large square-shaped and not rounded those are all important of logical features which again tells you that you
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
The most obvious characteristic of science is its application: the fact that, as a consequence of science, one has a power to do things. And the effect this power has had need hardly be mentioned. The whole industrial revolution would almost have been impossible without the development of science.
Quote examples
Manuel Neuer
German Athlete
I consider that part of my job as a pro: to know who you're up against and how the attacking players play, what kind of characteristics they have, their qualities, how they move, their preferred foot.
Quote examples
Bill Gates
American Businessman
The main thing that's missing in energy is an incentive to create things that are zero-CO2-emitting and that have the right scale and reliability characteristics.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
Quote examples
Chadwick Boseman
American Actor
When you play characters, you shouldn't just be putting on their characteristics - you should be finding it inside yourself.
Quote examples
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Indian Statesman
One of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask questions.
Quote examples
Noam Chomsky
American Activist
The U.S. increasingly has taken on the characteristics of what we describe as 'failed states.
Quote examples
Niko Kovac
Croatian Athlete
We're all different, and we have to accept and tolerate each other's characteristics.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.
Quote examples
John Hanning Speke
British Soldier
Each tribe has its characteristics, it is true.
Quote examples
Richard P. Feynman
American Physicist
The most obvious characteristic of science is its application: the fact that, as a consequence of science, one has a power to do things. And the effect this power has had need hardly be mentioned. The whole industrial revolution would almost have been impossible without the development of science.
Quote examples
Manuel Neuer
German Athlete
I consider that part of my job as a pro: to know who you're up against and how the attacking players play, what kind of characteristics they have, their qualities, how they move, their preferred foot.
Quote examples
Bill Gates
American Businessman
The main thing that's missing in energy is an incentive to create things that are zero-CO2-emitting and that have the right scale and reliability characteristics.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
As it is the characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so small wits seem to have the gift of speaking much and saying nothing.
Quote examples
Chadwick Boseman
American Actor
When you play characters, you shouldn't just be putting on their characteristics - you should be finding it inside yourself.
Quote examples
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Indian Statesman
One of the very important characteristics of a student is to question. Let the students ask questions.
Quote examples
Noam Chomsky
American Activist
The U.S. increasingly has taken on the characteristics of what we describe as 'failed states.
Quote examples
Niko Kovac
Croatian Athlete
We're all different, and we have to accept and tolerate each other's characteristics.
Quote examples
Henry David Thoreau
American Author
It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.
Quote examples
John Hanning Speke
British Soldier
Each tribe has its characteristics, it is true.
Example 1 of 10
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