LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

charactēr

charactēr m (genitive charactēris)
Classical[kʰaˈrak.teːr]Ecclesiastical[kaˈrak.ter]

Meaning

  1. branding iron
  2. brand (made by a branding iron)
  3. characteristic, mark, character, style

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecharactērcharactērēs
genitivecharactērischaractērum
dativecharactērīcharactēribus
accusativecharactēremcharactērēs
ablativecharactērecharactēribus
vocativecharactērcharactērēs

chăracter, ēris, m., = χαρακτήρ.
I. An instrument for branding or marking, etc.: character est ferrum coloratum, quo notae pecudibus inuruntur, χαρακτήρ autem Graece, Latine forma dicitur, Isid. Orig. 20, 16, 7.—
II. Usu., the mark or sign burned or imprinted.
A. Prop. (esp. upon animals): quadrupedia charactere signare, Col. 11, 2, 14; Pall. Jan. 16: characterem infigere alicui, Aug. Contr. Cresc. 1, 30.—
B. Trop., a characteristic, mark, character, style, etc. (only ante- and postclass.): Luciliano charactere libelli, Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 17; Serv. ad Verg. E. 3, 1; Diom. p. 481 P. (cf. Cic. Or. 39, 134; id. Q. Fr. 2, 15 (16), 5; and Gell. 7, 14, 1, in which passages it is written as Greek).

Origins

From the Ancient Greek χαρακτήρ (kharaktḗr).

Descendants
  • Italiancarattere
  • Englishcharacterfrom Old French caractere
  • Frenchcaractèrefrom Old French caractere
  • Romaniancaracterfrom Old French caractere
  • Portuguesecaractere
  • Portuguesecarácter
  • Spanishcarácter
  • Asturiancalter
  • Asturiancaráuter
  • Hungariankarakter

In English words that came into English from charactēr

  • charactercharactēr
  • caractcharactēr

Quick answers

What does charactēr mean in Latin?
charactēr, a noun, means “branding iron; brand (made by a branding iron); characteristic, mark, character, style”.
What is the genitive of charactēr?
The genitive singular is charactēris. charactēr is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce charactēr?
In classical Latin, [kʰaˈrak.teːr]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [kaˈrak.ter].