What does characteristics mean?
Characteristics are the distinctive qualities, features, or traits that define a person, object, or group and set it apart from others. A leopard's spotted coat, a leader's decisiveness, a metal's conductivity — these are all characteristics: the observable attributes by which we recognize and classify things. The word is almost always used in its plural form, usually preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of', as in 'the defining characteristics of a genre'. It carries a neutral, descriptive connotation and appears frequently in scientific, psychological, and analytical writing, where precision about identifying traits matters. Related terms include trait, attribute, feature, and quality, though 'characteristics' tends to suggest a complete set rather than a single property. Etymologically it descends through Greek 'kharakter', an engraving mark, which makes the word's logic intuitive: our characteristics are the marks stamped into us that make us identifiable.
nounCharacteristics are the distinctive features, qualities, or traits that belong to a person, thing, or group and serve to identify or distinguish it from others.
- The distinctive features or qualities that identify and distinguish a person, thing, or group from others.
"Honesty and patience are among her most admired characteristics."
"The report outlined the key characteristics of a successful startup."
"Certain behavioral characteristics, such as curiosity, emerge early in childhood."
'Characteristics' is itself the standard plural of 'characteristic'; no further plural form exists.
"Reliability and low cost are important characteristics of this material."
The word traces back to the Greek 'kharassein' — to sharpen or engrave — so your 'characteristics' are literally the marks engraved into what makes you you.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does characteristics come from?
'Characteristics' derives ultimately from the ancient Greek verb 'kharassein', meaning to sharpen or engrave, whose derived noun 'kharakter' referred to an engraving tool's stamp or mark. This passed into Latin as 'character' and then through French into English in the 16th and 17th centuries, giving rise to 'characteristic' in the early 17th century as an adjective meaning distinctive or revealing of character. Cognates and relatives include 'character', 'characterize', and 'charismatic', all rooted in the same Greek idea of an identifying mark pressed or engraved onto something.
Related word forms
How characteristics is actually used
Always used as a plural noun in modern English, typically with the definite article ('the characteristics of'). The register is neutral to slightly formal, common in academic, scientific, and business writing.
Easily confused with characteristics
'Characteristic' is the singular form denoting a single distinguishing trait, while 'characteristics' refers to the plural set of such traits; 'characteristic' also works as an adjective meaning typical of something.