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- pronunciation:
- kae
r
 k
t
rI
stihk
- parts of speech:
- noun, adjective
- features:
- Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition: |
A characteristic is something that makes a person or thing different from others. The color of your eyes is one characteristic that makes you different from many other people in the world. The color of your hair and your height are also characteristics that make you different. Groups also have characteristics that make them different from other groups. A characteristic of fish, for example, is that they live in water. A characteristic of spiders is that they have eight legs.
Tails that can pick up and hold things are a characteristic of monkeys.- synonyms:
- feature, point, property, quality
- similar words:
- aspect, badge, element, particular, tendency, trademark
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| related words: |
character, personality, point |
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| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
When something is characteristic of a thing, it is something we often see in that type of thing, or it is something that makes it different from other things.
Crying is a characteristic behavior of babies.This pattern of color is characteristic of this type of bird.- synonyms:
- distinguishing
- similar words:
- peculiar, representative, typical
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| definition 2: |
A characteristic thing is a thing that is unusual. It sticks out as being different. If you have a characteristic laugh, then your laugh is different from most people's laugh. It is an unusual laugh. If people can't see you but they can hear you laughing, they know it is you who is laughing.
Ben knew his Aunt Alice had arrived because of her characteristic laugh.The police recognized the man because of his characteristic way of walking.- synonyms:
- distinct, special, unique
- antonyms:
- ordinary, typical
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| related words: |
distinctive, natural, normal, standard |
| derivation: |
characteristically (adv.) |
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