Characterize Meaning
/ˈkæɹəktəɹaɪz/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo depict someone or something a particular way (often negative).
verbTo be typical of.
Sentence Examples
Drunken fights and more drunken sex characterize their excuse for a relationship.
If you had to characterize your wife in three words, which ones would you pick?
The rolling hills that characterize this part of England
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Historians often ____ the era as a time of great cultural flourishing and economic growth.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Scientists often ____ this type of rock by its high mineral content.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Ancient Greek χαράσσω (kharássō) Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Ancient Greek -τήρ (-tḗr) Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr) Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ίζω (-ízō) Ancient Greek χᾰρακτηρίζω (khăraktērízō)der. Medieval Latin charactērizōder. English characterize From Medieval Latin charactērizō, from Ancient Greek χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -ize.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[Stephen] Miller’s uncle, a neuroscientist, has been welcomed onto the public stage for his denunciations of his nephew’s immigration policies, which the elder Miller has characterized as hypocritical: the Millers’ not-so-distant Jewish ancestors were, of course, immigrants themselves."
— 2019 July 15, Greg Afinogenov, “The Jewish Case for Open Borders”, in Jewish Currents, number Summer 2019:
"There is no way to avoid the slight cups, crooks, bows and twists that characterize wood."
— 1980, Robert M. Jones, editor, Walls and Ceilings, Time-Life Books, →ISBN, page 82:
"The second level of reading we will call Inspectional Reading. It is characterized by its special emphasis on time."
— 1972, Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren, How to Read a Book, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 18:
"This glossary includes terminology used in coastal science, engineering, geology, management, nearshore oceanography and the technologies that characterize, measure, describe or quantify the physical properties, processes and changes of the coastal zone."
— 1998, Brian Voigt, “Glossary of Coastal Terminology”, in Department of Ecology Publication No. 98-105:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Historians often ____ the era as a time of great cultural flourishing and economic growth.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Scientists often ____ this type of rock by its high mineral content.