noun / adjective
characteristic
A distinguishing quality, or typical of someone or something.
Patience is the characteristic that makes her such an effective teacher.
Etymology
The Greek adjective concerns a distinguishing mark. English extends that mark to a recognizable quality, whether naming the quality or describing something as typical.
More examples
- The bird has a characteristic red patch on its head.
- They compared the materials' different characteristics.
- He answered with his characteristic dry humor.
Forms
characteristic · characteristics
Similar words
- feature
- Feature names an attribute broadly; characteristic emphasizes an attribute that distinguishes or typifies.