• (America) IPA: /ˈkɛɹəktɚ/, /ˈkæɹəktɚ/
• (RP) IPA: /ˈkæɹəktə/

character

1. (countable) A being involved in the action of a story.
2. (countable) A distinguishing feature; characteristic; trait; phene.

   A single locus governing the petal colour character was detected on the linkage group A2.

3. (uncountable, countable) A complex of traits marking a person, group, breed, or type.

   • A man of […] thoroughly subservient character

   A study of the suspect's character and his cast iron alibi ruled him out.
4. (uncountable) Strength of mind; resolution; independence; individuality; moral strength.

   He has a great deal of character.

   "You may not like to eat liver," said Calvin's father, "but it builds character."

5. (countable) A unique or extraordinary individual; a person characterized by peculiar or notable traits, especially charisma.

   Julius Caesar is a great historical character.

   That bloke is such a character.

6. (countable) A written or printed symbol, or letter.

   • It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye.

7. (countable, dated) Style of writing or printing; handwriting; the particular form of letters used by a person or people.

   an inscription in the Runic character

   • {{RQ:Shakespeare Lear|I|ii|passage=You know the character to be your brother's?
8. (countable, dated) A secret cipher; a way of writing in code.
9. (countable, computing) One of the basic elements making up a text file or string: a code representing a printing character or a control character.
10. (countable, informal) A person or individual, especially one who is unknown or raises suspicions.

    We saw a shady character slinking out of the office with some papers.

    That old guy is a real character.

11. (countable, mathematics) A complex number representing an element of a finite Abelian group.
12. (countable) Quality, position, rank, or capacity; quality or conduct with respect to a certain office or duty.

    in the miserable character of a slave

    in his character as a magistrate

13. (countable, dated) The estimate, individual or general, put upon a person or thing; reputation.

    a man's character for truth and veracity

    Her actions give her a bad character.

    • 1705 (revised 1718), Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy

      This subterraneous passage is much mended since Seneca gave so bad a character of it.

14. (countable, dated) A reference given to a servant, attesting to his/her behaviour, competence, etc.
15. (countable, obsolete) Personal appearance.

• French: personnage
• German: Figur, Person
• Italian: personaggio
• Portuguese: personagem
• Russian: персона́ж
• Spanish: personaje

• French: caractère
• German: Charakter
• Italian: carattere, caratteristica
• Portuguese: caráter (Brazil), carácter (Portugal)
• Russian: хара́ктер
• Spanish: característica, carácter

• Russian: хара́ктер

• French: caractère
• German: Charakter
• Italian: carattere
• Portuguese: fortaleza moral, caráter (Brazil), carácter (Portugal)
• Russian: хара́ктер
• Spanish: carácter

• French: personnage
• German: Original
• Italian: personaggio
• Portuguese: figura, peça
• Russian: ли́чность
• Spanish: personaje

• French: caractère
• German: Buchstabe, Zeichen, Schriftzeichen
• Italian: carattere
• Portuguese: caractere
• Russian: бу́ква
• Spanish: carácter

• French: caractère
• German: Character, Zeichen
• Italian: carattere
• Portuguese: caractere, caráter
• Russian: си́мвол
• Spanish: carácter

• Russian: тип

• French: caractère

character (characters, present participle charactering; past and past participle charactered)

1. (obsolete) To write (using characters); to describe.
   • c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals):

     , [Act II, scene vii]:

     O Roſalind, theſe Trees ſhall be my Bookes, / And in their barkes my thoughts Ile charracter, / That euery eye, which in this Forreſt lookes, / Shall ſee thy vertue witneſt euery where.