Home

karakterize

Karakterize is a verb meaning to describe or define the distinctive features or properties of something. It is used to identify traits that differentiate a subject from others or to summarize its essential characteristics. The word derives from the French caractériser, which itself comes from Greek charaktēr meaning mark or stamp, and is a cognate of the English characterize and characterise. In English, the standard spellings are characterize (American English) and characterise (British English). The form karakte­rise/karakterize appears in some non-English contexts as a direct loanword or transliteration, for example in Turkish where the verb is karakterize etmek.

Usage of karakterize spans several fields. In academic and scientific writing, it refers to determining or

See also: characterization, characterisation, traits, description, properties. Examples of usage include describing how a material behaves

describing
a
system’s
properties,
such
as
structure,
composition,
or
function.
In
the
humanities
and
social
sciences,
it
can
mean
outlining
the
features
of
a
person,
a
work
of
art,
or
a
cultural
phenomenon.
In
literature
and
narrative
theory,
characterization
denotes
the
process
of
revealing
a
character’s
personality
through
description,
dialogue,
and
action.
The
corresponding
noun
forms
are
characterization
and
characterisation,
reflecting
different
regional
spellings.
under
stress,
or
how
a
fictional
character
is
revealed
through
behavior
and
speech.
Karakterize
is
thus
a
cross-lacet
term
linked
to
the
broader
concept
of
describing
and
distinguishing
features
across
disciplines.