character
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Old French caractère, from Latin character, from Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktēr), “‘type, nature, character’”) from χαράσσω (kharassō), “‘I engrave’”).
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈkʰæɹəktɚ/
- Audio (US)help, file
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
character (plural characters)
- A being involved in the action of a story.
- A written or printed symbol, or letter
- A distinguishing feature; characteristic; A complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person or a group.
- A moral strength.
- "You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."
- A person with many notable or eccentric features.
- (mathematics) A complex number representing an element of a finite Abelian group.
- (computing) One of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character. Synonymous with byte in some environments.
[edit] Usage notes
A comparison of character and reputation: It would be well if character and reputation were used distinctively. In truth, character is what a person is; reputation is what he is supposed to be. Character is in himself, reputation is in the minds of others. Character is injured by temptations, and by wrongdoing; reputation by slanders, and libels. Character endures throughout defamation in every form, but perishes when there is a voluntary transgression; reputation may last through numerous transgressions, but be destroyed by a single, and even an unfounded, accusation or aspersion.
[edit] Derived terms
Look at pages starting with character.
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Translations
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
