English
characteristic
Characteristic may come from Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχαρακτηριστικόςkharaktēristikósuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1830characteristic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχαρακτηριστικόςkharaktēristikósuncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1830characteristic
Earliest quotation: 1830, Solomon Pearson Miles, Thomas Sherwin: “It is evident, moreover, that as the logarithms of…”
Equivalent to character + -istic
Ancient Greek χαράσσω ‘to engrave’
Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ ‘type’
Latin charactēr ‘branding iron’
Old French caractere ‘mark’
Middle English caracter
English character
Linked words
through Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ ‘a mark, character’
Today it means
adj Indicating a distinguishing feature of a person or thing; typical.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός / characteristic