χαρακτήρ
Alt. χα^ρακτήρ, ῆρος, ὁ,
Etym. χαράσσω
1. "a mark engraved or impressed, the impress or stamp" on coins and seals, Eur.; εὐδοξίας χαρακτῆρα τοῖς ἔργοις ἐπέβαλεν set "a stamp" of good repute upon them, Isocr.
2. metaph. "the mark impressed" (as it were) "on" a person or thing, "a distinctive mark, characteristic, character", χ. γλώσσης of a particular language or dialect, Hdt.; of persons, ὁ χ. τοῦ προσώπου id=Hdt.; ἀνδρῶν οὐδεὶς χ. ἐμπέφυκε σώματι no "outward mark" has been set by nature on the person of men, Eur.; φανερὸς χ. ἀρετᾶς id=Eur.