Past tense of characterise (British spelling); to describe the distinctive qualities or features of something. To be a typical feature or quality of something.
From Greek 'kharaktērizein' meaning 'to engrave, inscribe,' from 'kharaktēr' (distinctive mark). The word evolved from literal engraving to describing distinctive qualities or features that 'mark' something as unique.
The word's journey from 'engraving marks' to 'describing qualities' reflects how we think about identity - we see distinctive features as permanent marks that define something's essence. It's fascinating that we still use this ancient metaphor of inscription to talk about personality and traits!
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