characterize

Meanings

Verb

describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
- "You can characterize his behavior as that of an egotist"
- "This poem can be characterized as a lament for a dead lover"
be characteristic of
- "What characterizes a Venetian painting?"
To depict someone or something a particular way (often negative).
To be typical of.
To determine the characteristics of.

Origin / Etymology

From Medieval Latin charactērizō, from Ancient Greek χαρακτηρίζω (kharaktērízō, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr, “a mark, character”). By surface analysis, character + -ize.

Synonyms

characterise, qualify

Scrabble Score: 28

characterize is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
characterize is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
characterize is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 29

characterize is a valid Words With Friends word