a. and sb. Also 7 -ick, -ique. [ad. Gr. χαρακτηριστικός in same sense; cf. F. caractéristique.]
A. adj.
1. That serves to indicate the essential quality or nature of persons or things; displaying character; distinctive; typical. Const. of.
1665. J. Spencer, Prophecies, 65. The Characteristick note between false and true Prophets.
1762. Gibbon, Misc. Wks., 1814, V. 249. The characteristic letter, and the termination of verbs.
1793. Holcroft, trans. Lavater’s Physiog., xxi. 110. Fleshy lips, broad chin, and large ears, I believe to be characteristic of the Dutchman.
1880. Haughton, Phys. Geog., iii. 83. Shells characteristic of the Triassic and Jurassic periods.
b. Math.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., Characteristic Triangle of a Curve, in the higher geometry, is a rectilinear right-angled triangle, whose hypothenuse makes a part of the curve, not sensibly different from a right line.
1879. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 331. The function thus determined and employed to express the solution of the kinetic problem was called the Characteristic Function by Sir W. R. Hamilton.
2. Relating to or descriptive of character.
1725. H. Gally (title), Theophrastus, Moral Characters, with notes and a critical essay on Characteristic Writings.
B. sb.
1. A distinctive mark, trait or feature; a distinguishing or essential peculiarity or quality.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., i. 2. The most obvious circumstantial Characteristick of the Whore of Babylon.
1677. R. Cary, Chronol., I. II. I. iv. 59. These numbers … are undoubted Characteristiques … serving to discriminate one Year from another.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), 265. The chapel of Lincoln’s-inn has none of the characteristics of that architecture.
1772. Junius Lett., lxviii. 335. Superstition is certainly not the characteristic of this age.
1858. Doran, Crt. Fools, 125. It was the characteristic of our English kings, to be liberal to their buffoons.
1879. Lubbock, Sci. Lect., i. 9. Color, scent, and honey are the three characteristics by which insects are attracted to flowers.
† b. ? A distinctive name or appellation. Obs.
1851. Life of Ken (1854), 653 (D.). I never use any characteristic in the prayers myself, nor am present when any is read.
† 2. A system of alphabetic characters; = CHARACTER sb. 4 b. Obs.
1769. trans. Michaelis’ Opin. Lang. (1771), Introd. 6. A characteristic of easier execution. Ibid., 77. The written language of the Chinese … is rather a characteristic than a language.
3. Math. The whole number in a logarithm. Characteristic of a cubic: the invariable anharmonic ratio of the four tangents which can be drawn to a plane cubic from any one of its own points.
1727–51. in Chambers, Cycl.
1801. Hutton, Course Math. (1806), I. 156. The integral part of a logarithm, usually called the Index, or Characteristic.
