characterization
/ˌkæɹəktəɹəˈzeɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.53 in modern English
32
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
6
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The act or process of characterizing.
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonyms: portrayal, representation; definition"
- "It was while he was performing the duties of the store that he acquired the soubriquet "Honest Abe"--a characterization that he never dishonored, and an abbreviation that he never outgrew."
- "The art of characterization exhibited by the author fascinates us; we gaze and examine as if we were face to face with real personages, whose passions are laid bare, whose life is traced, whose countenance is portrayed with miraculousness, distinctness and verisimilitude."
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 Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English characterization From characterize + -ation.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌkæɹəktəɹəˈzeɪʃən/
- British English: /ˌkæɹəktəɹaɪˈzeɪʃən/