karakterisert

Karakterisert is the past participle form of the Norwegian verb karakterisere, meaning to describe or define the distinguishing features of something. In usage, it appears in both active constructions, as in har karakterisert, and in passive or participial phrases, e.g., fenomenet er karakterisert som å være preget av visse kjennetegn. As an adjective, karakterisert can describe something that has been described or defined in a particular way, often in academic or formal contexts.

Etymology and related forms: the word derives from karakter (character, feature) and the -isere suffix, which forms verbs meaning to make or render something in a certain way. The development mirrors similar forms in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish karakterisere and Swedish karaktäriser(a). The related noun karakt er or karakterisering denotes the act or result of characterization.

Usage and style: karakterisert is common in scientific, descriptive, and evaluative writing where a phenomenon, object, or condition is being specified. It is typically used with verbs like være, være karakterisert, har karakterisert, or kan karakteriseres to indicate how something has been described. Writers should ensure agreement with the subject when using it as an adjective, and prefer precise descriptors to avoid vagueness.

See also: characterization, description, linguistic terminology for participles.