characterization
Describing distinctive traits
Characterization is the way someone or something is portrayed or described.
In fiction, it refers to the techniques writers use to develop characters—through dialogue, action, appearance, or direct description: The novel's characterization of the villain felt thin.
More broadly, any depiction or representation: His characterization of the meeting as hostile seemed unfair.
To call something a characterization often implies it's one interpretation among possible others.
Artistic depiction of someone
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- renderingInterpretive depiction or performance
- representationDepiction or likeness
- caricatureExaggerated comic depiction
delineation · likeness · vignette · profile · silhouette · description · impression · outline
Carrying out a task
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- enactmentPassing into law
- impersonationPretending to be another
representation · rendering · personification · dramatization · expression · acting · role · mimicry
Curved line segment
- backstoryCharacter's past narrative
- motivationImpetus toward a goal
- complexityState of being complicated
- depthDistance below surface
nuance · transformation · growth · journey · evolution · progression · change · interiority
One admired for courage
- villainWicked story antagonist
- mentorTrusted wisdom-giving advisor
- tricksterCunning deceiver in myth
- protagonistStory's central figure
antagonist · anti-hero · foil · sidekick · sage · warrior · orphan · outlaw
Study of light-matter interaction
- crystallographyStudy of atomic lattices
- microstructureSubmillimeter material composition
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
- compositionArranged elements forming whole
analysis · properties · diffraction · microscopy · defects · porosity
portrait
Artistic depiction of someone
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- renderingInterpretive depiction or performance
- representationDepiction or likeness
caricature · delineation · likeness · vignette · profile · silhouette · description · impression · outline · image
performance
Carrying out a task
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
- interpretationAssigned meaning
- enactmentPassing into law
impersonation · representation · rendering · personification · dramatization · expression · acting · role · mimicry · recreation
arc
Curved line segment
- backstoryCharacter's past narrative
- motivationImpetus toward a goal
- complexityState of being complicated
depth · nuance · transformation · growth · journey · evolution · progression · change · interiority · psychology
hero
One admired for courage
protagonist · antagonist · anti-hero · foil · sidekick · sage · warrior · orphan · outlaw · caregiver
spectroscopy
Study of light-matter interaction
- crystallographyStudy of atomic lattices
- microstructureSubmillimeter material composition
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
composition · analysis · properties · diffraction · microscopy · defects · porosity
mask
Face-worn concealment
front · image · presentation · exterior · projection · veneer · pretense · disguise · alter-ego · semblance
- long wordssupercalifragilisticexpialidocious, antidisestablishmentarianism, incomprehensibilities, counterrevolutionary, electroencephalograph
- literaturebooks, book, fiction, poetry, stories
- storytellingstorytelling, story, tale, narrative, narrator
- descriptionsdescription, portrait, profile, summary, overview
- explanationswhy, how come, explication, what happened, definition
- narrative qualitiesplot, theme, tone, mood, pacing
characterizationplot
Storyline or land parcel
action · setting · pacing · exposition · narrative structure
characterizationmischaracterization
Describing something inaccurately
misrepresentation · distortion · caricature · falsification · omission
characterizationsuperficiality
Absence of meaningful depth
unfeeling · flatness · stereotyping · shallowness · stock characters