English
character
Character comes from Old French caractere ‘mark’, from Latin charactēr ‘branding iron’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek χαράσσω ‘to engrave’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχαράσσωkharássō‘to engrave’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχαρακτήρkharaktḗr‘type’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcharactēr‘branding iron’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400caractere‘mark’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500caracter
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600character
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχαράσσωkharássō‘to engrave’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχαρακτήρkharaktḗr‘type’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcharactēr‘branding iron’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400caractere‘mark’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500caracter
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1598–1600character
Earliest quotation: c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, As You Like It: “O Roſalind, theſe Trees ſhall be my Bookes, /…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ ‘type, nature, character’
Today it means
noun A being involved in the action of a story; a persona.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χαράσσω / character