English
characterization
Characterization comes from Medieval Latin charactērizō, and goes back to Ancient Greek χᾰρακτηρίζω ‘to designate by a characteristic mark,…’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχᾰρακτηρίζωkhăraktērízō‘to designate by a characteristic mark, characterize’
- Medieval Latinmoderncharactērizō
- English1500–presentcharacterize
- Englishearliest quotation 1866characterization
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχᾰρακτηρίζωkhăraktērízō‘to designate by a characteristic mark, characterize’
- Medieval Latinmoderncharactērizō
- English1500–presentcharacterize
- Englishearliest quotation 1866characterization
Earliest quotation: 1866, Josiah Gilbert Holland: “It was while he was performing the duties of…”
A compound of χαράσσω ‘to sharpen’ + -τήρ + χαρακτήρ ‘instrument used for engraving’
Ancient Greek χάραξ ‘pointed stake’
Ancient Greek χαράσσω ‘to sharpen’
Ancient Greek χάραξ ‘pointed stake’
Ancient Greek χαράσσω ‘to sharpen’
Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ ‘instrument used for engraving’
Every English word from Ancient Greek χᾰρακτηρίζω
Today it means
noun The act or process of characterizing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χᾰρακτηρίζω / characterization