characterize
/ˈkɛɹəktəɹaɪz/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.32 in modern English
28
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "[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."
- "There is no way to avoid the slight cups, crooks, bows and twists that characterize wood."
- "The second level of reading we will call Inspectional Reading. It is characterized by its special emphasis on time."
- "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."
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek χαράσσω (kharássō) Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Hellenic *-tḗr Ancient Greek -τήρ (-tḗr) Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr) Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō 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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: charactērizō, χαρακτηρίζω
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɛɹəktəɹaɪz/
- British English: /ˈkæɹəktəɹaɪz/