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character

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noun American English pronunciation: character /ˈkerəktər/ 
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singularcharacter
pluralcharacters
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  1. 1
    [countable] [usually singular] the qualities that make up someone's personality

    Stinginess with money was one aspect of Steve's character that I didn't like.

    in/out of character (=typical/not typical of someone's usual behavior):

    I can't understand why Simon refused to help; it seems so out of character.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
    1. a.
      [singular] the qualities that people from a particular place are believed to have

      He understood so much about our national character.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  2. 2
    [countable/uncountable] the qualities that make something clearly different from anything else

    Each of his books has its own distinctive character.

    The two towns are similar in size but very different in character.

    character of:

    The house was not in keeping with the character of the surrounding area.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
    1. a.
      a quality that makes something interesting or attractive

      a traditional inn with a lot of character and charm

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  3. 3
    [uncountable] good personal qualities, especially the qualities of being brave and determined when doing something difficult

    She had to stand up and make a speech to 500 people, so it was quite a test of character.

    The team showed real character in coming back from behind like that.

    character-building (=helping to develop someone's character):

    the idea of competitive sport as a character-building activity

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  4. 4
    [countable] a person of a particular type

    McMahon is one of the sport's most colorful characters.

    a shady/suspicious/unsavory character

    a reformed/changed character:

    Jake used to be pretty wild, but he's a reformed character now.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
    1. a.
      informal someone with special qualities that make them different from most people and interesting to know

      She was quite a character, I can tell you.

      a real character:

      You'd like Joe, he's a real character.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  5. 5
    [countable] a person in a book, play, movie, etc.

    The book has a solid plot and likable characters.

    the main/central character:

    The movie's main character is played by George Clooney.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  6. 6
    [countable/uncountable] someone's reputation, especially when this shows how honest or reliable they are

    Did she cast a slur on my character?

    My client is a man of good character.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character
  7. 7
    [countable] a letter, number, or symbol that is written, printed, or used in computer programs

    The password may be up to 12 characters long.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of character

This is the American English definition of character. View British English definition of character.

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View the pronunciation for character.

 

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