# characteristic

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌkæɹəktəˈɹɪstɪk/ · frequency rank #7,428

## Definitions
1. Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós), from χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -istic.

## Easily confused with
- **characteristics** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/characteristic-vs-characteristics)

## Common misspellings (22)
`cahracteristic`, `ccharacteristic`, `chaarcteristic`, `characcteristic`, `characetristic`, `characteirstic`, `characterisitc`, `characterisstic`, `characteristci`, `characteristicc`, `characteristtic`, `characteritsic`, `characterristic`, `charactersitic`, `charactreistic`, `charactteristic`, `charatceristic`, `charcateristic`, `charracteristic`, `chharacteristic`, `chraacteristic`, `hcaracteristic`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/characteristic