The character of a person or place consists of all the qualities they have that make them distinct from other people or places.
Perhaps there is a negative side to his character that you haven't seen yet.
The character of this country has been formed by immigration. [+ of]
Synonyms: personality, nature, make-up, cast More Synonyms of character
2. singular noun [oft inNOUN]
If something has a particular character, it has a particular quality.
The financial concessions granted to British Aerospace were, he said, of a precariouscharacter.
The state farms were semi-military in character.
3. singular noun
You can use character to refer to the qualities that people from a particular place are believed to have.
Individuality is a valued and inherent part of the British character.
4. countable noun [usually adjective NOUN]
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character, you mean they are strange.
It's that kind of courage and determination that makes him such a remarkable character.
What a sad character that Nigel is.
5. variable noun
Your character is your personality, especially how reliable and honest you are. If someone is of good character, they are reliable and honest. If they are of bad character, they are unreliable and dishonest.
He's begun a series of personal attacks on my character.
Mr Bartman was a man of good character.
Synonyms: reputation, honour, integrity, good name More Synonyms of character
6. uncountable noun
If you say that someone has character, you mean that they have the ability to deal effectively with difficult, unpleasant, or dangerous situations.
[approval]
She showed real character in her attempts to win over the crowd.
I didn't know Ron had that much strength of character.
Synonyms: courage, resolution, determination, guts [informal] More Synonyms of character
7. uncountable noun
If you say that a place has character, you mean that it has an interesting or unusual quality which makes you notice it and like it.
[approval]
An ugly shopping centre stands across from one of the few buildings with character.
8. countable noun
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
The film is autobiographical and the central character is played by Collard himself.
He's made the characters believable.
9. countable noun
If you say that someone is a character, you mean that they are interesting, unusual, or amusing.
[informal]
He'll be sadly missed. He was a real character.
Synonyms: eccentric, card [informal], original, nut [slang] More Synonyms of character
10. countable noun
A character is a letter, number, or other symbol that is written or printed.
11.
See in character/out of character
More Synonyms of character
character in British English
(ˈkærɪktə)
noun
1.
the combination of traits and qualities distinguishing the individual nature of a person or thing
2.
one such distinguishing quality; characteristic
3.
moral force; integrity
a politician of character
4.
a.
reputation, esp a good reputation
b.
(as modifier)
character assassination
5.
a summary or account of a person's qualities and achievements; testimonial
my last employer gave me a good character
6.
capacity, position, or status
he spoke in the character of a friend rather than a father
7.
a person represented in a play, film, story, etc; role
8.
an outstanding person
one of the great characters of the century
9. informal
an odd, eccentric, or unusual person
he's quite a character
10. an informal word for person
a shady character
11.
a symbol used in a writing system, such as a letter of the alphabet
12. Also called: sort printing
any single letter, numeral, punctuation mark, or symbol cast as a type
13. computing
any letter, numeral, etc, which is a unit of information and can be represented uniquelyby a binary pattern
14.
a style of writing or printing
15. genetics
any structure, function, attribute, etc, in an organism, which may or may not be determined by a gene or group of genes
16.
a short prose sketch of a distinctive type of person, usually representing a vice or virtue
17. in character
18. out of character
verb(transitive)
19.
to write, print, inscribe, or engrave
20. rare
to portray or represent
Derived forms
characterful (ˈcharacterful)
adjective
characterless (ˈcharacterless)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin: distinguishing mark, from Greek kharaktēr engraver's tool, from kharassein to engrave, stamp
character in American English
(ˈkærəktər; ˈkærɪktər)
noun
1.
a distinctive mark
2.
a.
any letter, figure, or symbol used in writing and printing
b.
the letters of an alphabet, collectively
3.
style of printing or handwriting
4.
a.
a mystic symbol or magical emblem
b.
a code or cipher
5.
a distinctive trait, quality, or attribute; characteristic
6.
essential quality; nature; kind or sort
7.
the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution
8.
moral strength; self-discipline, fortitude, etc.
9.
a.
reputation
b.
good reputation
left without a shred of character
10.
a statement about the behavior, qualities, etc. of a person, esp. as given by a formeremployer; reference
11.
status; position
12.
a personage
great characters in history
13.
a.
a person in a play, story, novel, etc.
b.
a role as portrayed by an actor or actress
14. Informal
an odd, eccentric, or noteworthy person
15. Genetics
any attribute, as color, shape, etc., caused in an individual by the action of one or more genes
verb transitive
16.
to write, print, or inscribe
17.
to characterize
18. Archaic
to represent; portray
SIMILAR WORDS: ˌdispoˈsition, ˈquality
Idioms:
in (or out of) character
Word origin
ME carecter < OFr caractère < L character, an engraving instrument < Gr charaktēr < charassein, to engrave < charax, pointed stake
COBUILD Collocations
character
biblical character
compelling character
complex character
define the character of
distinctive character
eccentric character
favourite character
feature a character
female character
fictional character
iconic character
interesting character
intriguing character
introduce a character
male character
moral character
movie character
play a character
popular character
principal character
reformed character
shady character
show character
soap character
supporting character
sympathetic character
true character
unique character
vivid character
Examples of 'character' in a sentence
character
The characters often represent a single emotion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Not many teams show the kind of character and determination we produce.
The Sun (2017)
He sells the main character her ticket.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
But maybe they do still have a character like that.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You invest in the characters and what may happen next.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was one biblical character who was famous for it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That shows real strength of character.
The Sun (2017)
The other characters are awful people, too!
The Sun (2017)
The rural yet central character makes it so appealing, along with about 20 substantial homes with big gardens near top schools.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The characters are represented both by the performers and by handheld puppets.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They were really decent people of good character and moral values who gave me a wonderful childhood.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Not being told you can only be this one kind of character.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They want something with character and a narrative behind it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The characters are so believable and all the actors play their parts to the max.
The Sun (2014)
This shows the character and the quality we have.
The Sun (2009)
Throughout the film we see characters doing drugs or talking about them.
Christianity Today (2000)
The familiar characters are portrayed with enormous charm.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
My challenge was to write a character that combined the best elements of both.
Sidney Sheldon The Other Side of Me
They have both been characters in my books.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Often the main characters are ignored in favour of the set.
Susie Gilbert and Jay Shir A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since1945 (2003)
We showed big character and big personality.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This little fellow is a real character.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You have to give the lead characters the ability to escape their parents.
The Sun (2011)
The four youngsters were in a deserted town centre hunting virtual characters with their smartphones.
The Sun (2016)
His love of the game completely outshone any other defects that his character may have possessed.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We showed some great character and got our rewards.
The Sun (2010)
So you need to find those parts of your character that will work as a public speaker.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The result is an intriguing hybrid between wine and cider with a strong individual character.
Lockspeiser, Jerry & Gear, Jackie Thorsons Organic Wine Guide (1991)
He made a great save that shows the mental strength and character of the man.
The Sun (2010)
The singer is almost always seen out and about looking like some kind of cartoon character.
The Sun (2012)
The central character is deeply flawed and yet he is also extremely likeable.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The obvious drawback is that we know what the characters look like.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Quotations
Genius is formed in quiet, character in the stream of human lifeGoetheTorquato Tasso
Character is much easier kept than recoveredThomas PaineThe American Crisis
A man's character is his fateHeraclitusOn the Universe
You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jelly beansRonald Reagan
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thingAbraham Lincoln
Fate and character are the same conceptNovalisHeinrich von Ofterdingen
In other languages
character
British English: character /ˈkærɪktə/ NOUN
personality Your character is the kind of person you are.
American English: character
Arabic: شَخْصِيَّة
Brazilian Portuguese: caráter
Chinese: 特征
Croatian: karakter
Czech: charakter
Danish: karakter egenart
Dutch: karakter
European Spanish: carácter
Finnish: luonne
French: personnage
German: Charakter
Greek: χαρακτήρας
Italian: carattere
Japanese: 特質
Korean: 특성
Norwegian: egenskap
Polish: charakter
European Portuguese: caráter
Romanian: caracter
Russian: характер
Latin American Spanish: carácter
Swedish: personlighet
Thai: อุปนิสัย
Turkish: karakter
Ukrainian: характер
Vietnamese: đặc điểm
British English: character /ˈkærɪktə/ NOUN
in story or film A character is a person in a story or a film.
American English: character
Arabic: شَخْصِيَّة
Brazilian Portuguese: personagem
Chinese: 人物
Croatian: lik
Czech: postavav příběhu
Danish: rolle
Dutch: personage
European Spanish: personaje
Finnish: hahmo
French: personnagecinéma
German: Figur
Greek: χαρακτήρας
Italian: personaggio
Japanese: 登場人物
Korean: 등장인물
Norwegian: rolle
Polish: postać
European Portuguese: personagem
Romanian: personaj
Russian: персонаж
Latin American Spanish: personaje
Swedish: roll
Thai: ตัวละคร
Turkish: karakter
Ukrainian: персонаж
Vietnamese: nhân vật
All related terms of 'character'
character set
a set of characters to display on a computer screen or be printed out that are all of the same design
in character
typical of the apparent character of a person or thing
pi character
any special character, such as an accent or mathematical symbol, which is not normally obtained in a standard type fount
character actor
A character actor is an actor who specializes in playing unusual or eccentric people.
character code
a machine-readable code that identifies a specified character or a set of such codes
character flaw
A flaw in someone's character is an undesirable quality that they have.
character part
a lesser role in a drama , but one where the actor is called upon to display particular distinctive traits of character
character piece
a short, simple piece, usually for piano , of a type developed chiefly during the 19th century, often of a descriptive or seemingly improvisatory character
character space
a space in a computer file into which a character can be fitted or which can be left blank
character study
a work of fiction in which the delineation of the central character's personality is more important than the plot
character trait
a notable feature of a person's character
character type
a cluster of personality traits commonly occurring together in an individual
flat character
an easily recognized character type in fiction who may not be fully delineated but is useful in carrying out some narrative purpose of the author
male character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
moral character
The character of a person or place consists of all the qualities they have that make them distinct from other people or places.
movie character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
round character
a character in fiction whose personality , background , motives , and other features are fully delineated by the author
shady character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example , if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
show character
If you say that someone has character , you mean that they have the ability to deal effectively with difficult , unpleasant , or dangerous situations .
soap character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
space character
a keyed space in text or data
stock character
a character in literature , theater, or film of a type quickly recognized and accepted by the reader or viewer and requiring no development by the writer
true character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
unit character
a character inherited as a single unit and dependent on a single gene
vivid character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
acquired character
a modification of structure or function caused by environmental factors : now generally regarded as not inheritable
biblical character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
cartoon character
one of the people or animals in an animated film
character actress
an actress who specializes in playing odd or eccentric characters
character armour
the defence an individual exhibits to others and to himself or herself to disguise his or her underlying weaknesses : a term coined by William Reich
character-building
improving certain good or useful traits in a person's character, esp self-reliance , endurance , and courage
character comedy
comedy , or a comedy, in which the main source of humour is in the character of the people represented in it
character sketch
a brief description or portrayal of a person's character, qualities, etc
character string
a series of characters that can be manipulated as a group, but do not necessarily represent anything
character witness
a witness in a trial who testifies to the accused's general good character rather than providing evidence about the specific offence which has led to him or her being on trial
complex character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
female character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
iconic character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
popular character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
reformed character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example , if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
unique character
If you say that a place has character , you mean that it has an interesting or unusual quality which makes you notice it and like it.
character development
the portrayal of people in a work of fiction in such a way that the reader or audience seems to learn more about them as they develop
character recognition
Character recognition is a process which allows computers to recognize written or printed characters such as numbers or letters and to change them into a form that the computer can use.
character reference
a testimonial from an employer or acquaintance testifying to a person's good character
compelling character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
distinctive character
The character of a person or place consists of all the qualities they have that make them distinct from other people or places.
eccentric character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
favourite character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
fictional character
The characters in a film, book, or play are the people that it is about.
interesting character
You use character to say what kind of person someone is. For example, if you say that someone is a strange character , you mean they are strange.
Chinese translation of 'character'
character
(ˈkærɪktəʳ)
n
(c) (= nature)
[of person, place]特性 (tèxìng) (种(種), zhǒng)
[of object, idea]性质(質) (xìngzhì)
(c/u) (= reputation) 名誉(譽) (míngyù)
(c) (in novel, film) 角色 (juésè) (个(個), gè)
(u) (= moral strength) 毅力 (yìlì)
(c) (inf, = eccentric) 怪人 (guàirén) (个(個), gè)
(c) (= letter, symbol) 字母 (zìmǔ) (个(個), gè)
a strange/sad character (inf) 一个(個)古怪/可悲的人 (yī gè gǔguài/kěbēi de rén)
a person of good character道德高尚的人 (dàodé gāoshàng de rén)
to behave in/out of character行为(為)与(與)自身特性相符/不相符 (xíngwéi yǔ zìshēn tèxìng xiāngfú/bù xiāngfú)
1 (noun)
Definition
the combination of qualities distinguishing an individual person, group of people, or place
There is a side to his character which you haven't seen yet.
Synonyms
personality
She has such a kind, friendly personality.
nature
She trusted people. That was her nature.
make-up
He became convinced that there was some fatal flaw in his make-up.
cast
constitution
bent
attributes
temper
He's known for his placid temper.
kidney
temperament
His impulsive temperament regularly got him into difficulties.
complexion
The political complexion of the government has changed.
disposition
his friendly and cheerful disposition
individuality
People should be free to express their individuality and style.
marked traits
2 (noun)
Definition
a distinguishing quality or characteristic
Moscow's reforms were socialist in character.
Synonyms
nature
The protests had been non-political in nature.
kind
Donations came in from all kinds of people.
quality
The pretentious quality of the poetry.
constitution
a small research team looking into the chemical constitution of coal
calibre
The calibre of the teaching here is very high.
3 (noun)
(informal)
What an unpleasant character he is!
Synonyms
person
Sam's the only person who can do the job.
sort
He seemed to be just the right sort for the job.
individual
the rights and responsibilities of the individual
type
There are various types of the disease.
guy (informal)
I was working with a guy from Vietnam.
fellow (old-fashioned)
He appeared to be a fine fellow.
4 (noun)
Definition
reputation, esp. good reputation
He's begun a series of attacks on my character.
Synonyms
reputation
The stories ruined his reputation.
honour
I can no longer serve with honour as a member of your government.
integrity
I have always regarded him as a man of integrity.
good name
rectitude
people of the utmost rectitude
uprightness
a contest in which courage and uprightness win through
5 (noun)
She showed real character in her refusal to give up.
Synonyms
courage
They do not have the courage to apologise for their actions.
resolution
He implemented policy with resolution and single-mindedness.
determination
They acted with great courage and determination.
guts (informal)
pluck
Cynics might sneer at him but you have to admire his pluck.
grit
He showed grit and determination in his fight back to health.
bravery
You deserve the highest praise for your bravery.
backbone
You might be taking drastic measures and you've got to have the backbone to do that.
fortitude
He suffered his illness with dignity and fortitude.
staying power
strength of mind
dauntlessness
6 (noun)
Definition
a person represented in a play, film, or story
He plays the film's central character.
Synonyms
role
Shakespearean women's roles
part
the actor who played the part of the doctor in the soap
persona
the contradictions between her private life and her public persona
7 (noun)
Definition
an unusual or amusing person
He'll be sadly missed. He was a real character.
Synonyms
eccentric
My other friend was a real English eccentric.
card (informal)
original
He's an original, this one, and a good storyteller.
nut (slang)
flake (slang, mainly US)
oddity
He's a bit of an oddity, but quite harmless.
oddball (informal)
odd bod (informal)
queer fish (British, informal)
wacko or whacko (informal, old-fashioned)
8 (noun)
Definition
a single letter, numeral, or symbol used in writing or printing
Chinese characters inscribed on a plaque
Synonyms
symbol
The artist uses the oak tree as a symbol of strength.
mark
He made marks with a pencil.
sign
Equations are generally written with a two-bar equals sign.
letter
the letters of the alphabet
figure
Deduct the second figure from the first.
type
device
logo
The letter bore no company name or logo.
emblem
The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.
rune
cipher
hieroglyph
Quotations
Genius is formed in quiet, character in the stream of human life [Goethe – Torquato Tasso]Character is much easier kept than recovered [Thomas Paine – The American Crisis]A man's character is his fate [Heraclitus – On the Universe]You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jelly beans [Ronald Reagan]Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing [Abraham Lincoln]Fate and character are the same concept [Novalis – Heinrich von Ofterdingen]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of backbone
Definition
strength of character
You might be taking drastic measures and you've got to have the backbone to do that.