different between characteristic vs distinction
characteristic
English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ??????????????? (kharakt?ristikós), from ??????????? (kharakt?ríz?, “to designate by a characteristic mark”), from ???????? (kharakt?r, “a mark, character”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?kæ??kt????st?k/
- (General American) IPA(key): /?k???kt????st?k/
- Rhymes: -?st?k
- Hyphenation: char?ac?te?ris?tic
Adjective
characteristic (comparative more characteristic, superlative most characteristic)
- Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.
Synonyms
- distinctive
- exclusive
- idiosyncratic
- indicative
- representative
- signature
- specific
- typical
Antonyms
- uncharacteristic
- untypical
Derived terms
- characteristic function
- characteristicness
Translations
Noun
characteristic (plural characteristics)
- A distinguishing feature of a person or thing.
- (mathematics) The integer part of a logarithm.
- 1830, Solomon Pearson Miles, Thomas Sherwin, Mathematical Tables: Comprising Logarithms of Numbers, […] , page 69,
- It is evident, moreover, that as the logarithms of numbers, which are tenfold, the one of the other, do not differ except in their characteristics, it is sufficient that the tables contain the fractional parts only of the logarithms.
- 1911, F. T. Swanwick, Elementary Trigonometry, Cambridge University Press, page 60,
- As the sine and cosine are always proper fractions their logarithms are negative, i.e. have negative characteristics. When we are given an angle, it is impossible to say, from inspection of the angle, what the characteristic of the logarithm of its sine, cosine or tangent may be; so the characteristics have to be printed with the mantissae.
- 1961, Principles and Applications of Mathematics for Communications-Electronics, [U.S.] Department of the Army, page 69,
- Similarly, the characteristic for .003 is ?3, and the characteristic for .0003 is ?4.
- 1830, Solomon Pearson Miles, Thomas Sherwin, Mathematical Tables: Comprising Logarithms of Numbers, […] , page 69,
- (nautical) The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.).
- (algebra, field theory, ring theory) For a given field or ring, a natural number that is either the smallest positive number n such that n instances of the multiplicative identity (1) summed together yield the additive identity (0) or, if no such number exists, the number 0.
- 1962 [John Wiley & Sons], Nathan Jacobson, Lie Algebras, 1979, Dover, page 289,
- In this chapter we study the problem of classifying the finite-dimensional simple Lie algebras over an arbitrary field of characteristic 0.
- 1992, Simeon Ivanov (translator), P. M. Gudivok, E. Ya. Pogorilyak, On Modular Representations of Finite Groups over Integral Domains, Simeon Ivanov (editor), Galois Theory, Rings, Algebraic Groups and Their Applications, American Mathematical Society, page 87,
- Let R be a Noetherian factorial ring of characteristic p which is not a field.
- 1993, S. Warner, Topological Rings, Elsevier (North-Holland), page 424,
- Traditionally, a complete, discretely valued field of characteristic zero, the maximal ideal of whose valuation ring is generated by the prime number p, has been called a p-adic field. In our terminology, the valuation ring of a p-adic field is a Cohen ring of characteristic zero whose residue field has characteristic p, and consequently a p-adic field is simply the quotient field of such a Cohen ring.
- 1962 [John Wiley & Sons], Nathan Jacobson, Lie Algebras, 1979, Dover, page 289,
Synonyms
- (distinguishing feature of a person or thing): attribute, hallmark, idiosyncrasy, mannerism, quality, tendency, trademark, trait
- See also Thesaurus:characteristic
Coordinate terms
- (part of a logarithm): mantissa
Derived terms
- defining characteristic
Related terms
- characteristically
Translations
See also
- mantissa
Further reading
- characteristic in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- characteristic in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Interlingua
Adjective
characteristic (not comparable)
- characteristic
Related terms
- characteristica
characteristic From the web:
- what characteristics
- what characteristics do bureaucracies share
- what characteristics make a good leader
- what characteristic is common to metamorphic rocks
- what characteristic unique to shake
- what characteristic is associated with lithography
- what characteristics are possessed by the best salespeople
- what characteristic should be considered the most
distinction
English
Etymology
From Middle English distinccioun, from Old French distinction (attested 12th century), from the Latin accusative distinctionem, action noun of distinguo (“I distinguish”). Used in English from the late 14th century.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /d??st??k??n/
Noun
distinction (countable and uncountable, plural distinctions)
- That which distinguishes; a single occurrence of a determining factor or feature, the fact of being divided; separation, discrimination.
- The act of distinguishing, discriminating; discrimination.
- Specifically, a feature that causes someone or something to stand out as being better; a mark of honour, rank, eminence or excellence; being distinguished.
- 2013, Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup (in The Guardian, 15 October 2013)[2]
- Leighton Baines, playing with distinction again, sent over a left-wing cross with pace and accuracy. Welbeck, prominently involved all night, could not reach it but Rooney was directly behind him, flashing his header past Szczesny.
- 2013, Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup (in The Guardian, 15 October 2013)[2]
Antonyms
- (that which distinguishes): confusion
Derived terms
- contradistinction
- distinction without a difference
Related terms
- distinct
- distinguish
- distinguished
- distinguishable
- distinguishness
Translations
French
Etymology
From Old French distinction (attested in the 12th century), from borrowed from the Latin accusative distinctionem, the action noun of distinguere (“distinguish”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /dis.t??k.sj??/
- Rhymes: -??
- Homophone: distinctions
Noun
distinction f (plural distinctions)
- distinction (difference, honour)
Related terms
- distinct
- distinguer
Further reading
- “distinction” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
distinction From the web:
- what distinction was signified by the magna carta
- what distinction means
- what distinctions does russia enjoy
- what distinction did it earn in the 1920s
- what was achieved with the carta magna
- what does magna carta represent
- what were the main points of the magna carta
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