kennzeichnet

Kennzeichnen is a German verb meaning to mark, designate, identify, or characterize something. It is used to indicate distinguishing features, to label items, or to mark something so that it can be recognized, categorized, or differentiated from others. The form kennzeichnet is the third-person singular present tense: er kennzeichnet die Merkmale; the infinitive is kennzeichnen, and the past participle is gekennzeichnet, used with haben in perfect tenses (Sie hat die Daten gekennzeichnet).

Etymology and meaning nuances: kennzeichnen compounds kennen (to know) and zeichnen (to mark). Historically, the sense involves marking in a way that signals identification or specification rather than mere decoration. In practice, kennzeichnen often implies designating something as belonging to a category or highlighting a characteristic feature.

Usage and contexts: In everyday language, one might kennzeichnen files or data to label them, or kennzeichnen bestimmte Merkmale in einem Bericht to indicate distinguishing features in a analysis. In organizational or technical contexts, to kennzeichnen a variable means to designate it as a particular kind of data, or to identify a parameter. The term is sometimes contrasted with markieren (to mark) or beschriften (to label), with kennzeichnen emphasizing identification or characterization.

Noun form and related terms: Kennzeichen, the corresponding noun, denotes a distinguishing mark or identification feature, such as a characteristic, badge, or license plate. In everyday German, das Kennzeichen also refers to a vehicle’s license plate.

See also: Kennzeichen (distinctive mark or license plate), markieren, beschriften.