characterising

Portraying essential traits

Characterising is the British spelling of characterizing—describing the distinctive qualities of something or someone, or serving as a defining feature.

To characterise a situation is to sum up its essential nature: She characterised the meeting as productive but tense.

A characterising trait is one that marks or defines: the characterising flatness of the prairie.

defining

essence

Fundamental nature of something

quintessentialRepresenting the ideal type
typifyEmbody characteristic traits
epitomizeRepresent the essence of

embody · hallmark · distinctive · intrinsic · fundamental · representative · indicative · signature · unique · identifying

portrayal

depiction

Representation in art

representationDepiction or likeness
interpretationAssigned meaning
enactmentPassing into law

performance · role · dramatization · personification · impersonation · casting · embodiment · rendering · sketch · portrait

archetype

prototype

First functional specimen

symbolRepresentational mark or sign
heroOne admired for courage
villainWicked story antagonist

mentor · trickster · shadow · mythical · motif · stereotype · trope · type · figure · model

Opposites

specificity of description

characterisinggeneralising

Inferring from particulars

generalizing · universalising · homogenising · blurring · abstracting

descriptive action

characterisingobscuring

Making less visible

ignoring · overlooking · neglecting · misrepresenting · concealing

description vs. obscuration

characterisingobscuring

Making less visible

mischaracterising · distorting · misrepresenting · concealing · obfuscating

Family

character, characteristic, characterize, characterization, characterized, characterizing, characterise, characterizes, characterised

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G