arch. Also 5–6 charecte, 6 charect, 6–7 characte; and see CARACT. [a. central OF. characte = ONF. caracte: see CARACT.]
† 1. An engraved or impressed mark; a stamp, impress; a letter, figure, etc. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, IV. ii. (1554), 102. Charectes of his woundes.
1552. Bale, Apol., 96 b. The very charactes or markes of the infernall beast.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 194 b. Those three charects (χ, ξ, ς).
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, VII. def. ii. 184. Figures or charactes of number vsed in Arithmetique.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 476. Mourning letters written in blacke paper with white charactes.
2. A cabbalistic or magical sign or emblem.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 437 b. To Christen … with Salt, Oile, Water, Charactes and exorcismes.
1855. Smedley, Occult Sc., 347. Written charms carried for defence are also known under the name of characts.
1886. R. F. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 126. Inscribed with talismans and characts.
Charact, obs. form of CARAT.
