Collins English-English Dictionary

character ['kærɪktə]

1. 1. n the combination of traits and qualities distinguishing the individual nature of a person or thing

2. 2. n [printing] sort any single letter, numeral, punctuation mark, or symbol cast as a type

3. 3. n one such distinguishing quality; characteristic

4. 4. n moral force; integrity

   a man of character

5. 5. n reputation, esp a good reputation

6. 6. n (as modifier)

   character assassination

7. 7. n a summary or account of a person's qualities and achievements; testimonial

   my last employer gave me a good character

8. 8. n capacity, position, or status

   he spoke in the character of a friend rather than a father

9. 9. n a person represented in a play, film, story, etc; role

10. 10. n an outstanding person

    one of the great characters of the century

11. 11. n [informal] an odd, eccentric, or unusual person

    he's quite a character

12. 12. n an informal word for person

    a shady character

13. 13. n a symbol used in a writing system, such as a letter of the alphabet

14. 14. n [computing] any letter, numeral, etc, which is a unit of information and can be represented uniquely by a binary pattern

15. 15. n a style of writing or printing

16. 16. n [genetics] any structure, function, attribute, etc, in an organism, which may or may not be determined by a gene or group of genes

17. 17. n a short prose sketch of a distinctive type of person, usually representing a vice or virtue

18. 18. vt. [tr] to write, print, inscribe, or engrave

19. 19. vt. [rare] to portray or represent

20. 20. vt. [Etymology] C14: from Latin: distinguishing mark, from Greek kharakter engraver's tool, from kharassein to engrave, stamp