— characteristically , adv.
/kar'ik teuh ris"tik/ , adj.
1. Also, characteristical . pertaining to, constituting, or indicating the character or peculiar quality of a person or thing; typical; distinctive: Red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn.
n.
2. a distinguishing feature or quality: Generosity is his chief characteristic.
3. Math.
a. the integral part of a common logarithm. Cf. mantissa .
b. the exponent of 10 in a number expressed in scientific notation.
c. the smallest positive integer n such that each element of a given ring added to itself n times results in 0.
[ 1655-65; charakteristikós. See CHARACTER, -ISTIC ]
Syn. 1. special, peculiar. 2. attribute, property, trait. See feature .