characterise
Depict essential qualities
Characterise is the British spelling of characterize.
To characterise something is to describe its distinctive qualities or essential nature: The report characterises the economy as fragile.
A feature that characterises something is typical or defining: The patience that characterises good teachers.
To characterise someone as something is to represent or portray them that way, sometimes unfairly: Critics characterised him as out of touch.
Represent through performance
- representStand in for
- describeConvey in words
- illustrateExplain through depiction
- renderCause to become
sketch · capture · convey · evoke · symbolize · embody · personify · exemplify
Statement of meaning
- explanationStatement making something clear
- descriptionAccount of characteristics
- clarifyMake something understandable
- elucidateTo make understood
explicate · specify · detail · delineate · outline · articulate · express · convey
Unique personal character
- uniquenessQuality of being singular
- distinctivenessQuality of being distinguishable
- singularityPoint where values explode
- selfhoodIndividual identity, personhood
authenticity · personality · self-expression · differentiate · distinguish · set apart · mark out · single out
Purest embodiment of something
- coreCentral essential portion
- heartCirculatory system's pump
- soulInnermost animating essence
- spiritSoul, mood, or liquor
crux · nature · substance · ethos · gist · kernel · pith · nucleus
Characteristic mental patterns
- temperamentInborn behavioral nature
- attributeQuality assigned to something
- qualityStandard or attribute
- featureDistinguishing quality or element
property · aspect · peculiarity · idiosyncrasy · mannerism · tendency · disposition · inclination
portray
Represent through performance
- representStand in for
- describeConvey in words
- illustrateExplain through depiction
render · sketch · capture · convey · evoke · symbolize · embody · personify · exemplify · caricature
definition
Statement of meaning
- explanationStatement making something clear
- descriptionAccount of characteristics
- clarifyMake something understandable
elucidate · explicate · specify · detail · delineate · outline · articulate · express · convey · interpret
individuality
Unique personal character
- uniquenessQuality of being singular
- distinctivenessQuality of being distinguishable
- singularityPoint where values explode
selfhood · authenticity · personality · self-expression · differentiate · distinguish · set apart · mark out · single out · typify
quintessence
Purest embodiment of something
spirit · crux · nature · substance · ethos · gist · kernel · pith · nucleus · bedrock
personality
Characteristic mental patterns
- temperamentInborn behavioral nature
- attributeQuality assigned to something
- qualityStandard or attribute
feature · property · aspect · peculiarity · idiosyncrasy · mannerism · tendency · disposition · inclination · propensity
characteriseobscure
Unknown to most
generalise · gloss over · blur · muddle · obfuscate
characterisemischaracterise
Portray inaccurately
misrepresent · distort · falsify · misportray · caricature
characterisehomogenise
Make identical throughout
conflate · lump together · standardise · anonymise · depersonalise
- defining characteristicEssential identifying quality
- characteristic speechDistinctive speaking manner
characteristic, characterize, characterization, characterized, characterizing, uncharacteristic, characterizes, characterised, characterises