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characteristicus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word characteristicus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
2nd third of 12th century, Peter Lombard
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [kʰa.rak.teːˈrɪs.tɪ.kʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ka.rak.teˈris.ti.kus][1]

Forms

charactēristicus (feminine charactēristica, neuter charactēristicum); first/second-declension adjective[2][3] Medieval spellings include caracteristicus and karacteristicus.[2][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós, “characteristic”).[1][2][4] Köbler places it with charactēr (“mark, character”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it first in Peter Lombard, in the second third of the 12th century.[3] The MLW quotes Lambert of Liège citing John of Damascus on the Trinity: the persons of the Trinity differ from one another not in substance but in their characteristica idiomata, that is, their distinguishing properties.[2]

Semantic evolution

Scholastic writers kept it as a technical term for what marks out one person or individual from another.[2][4] Albertus Magnus uses it several times, and also as a neuter noun for the distinguishing features themselves;[2] Duns Scotus calls the feature in which one individual differs from another of the same species an adventitious difference and a caracteristica proprietās.[4]

Wiktionary lists the English adjective and noun characteristic among its descendants,[1] while Etymonline derives the English word, first attested in the 1660s, from character and -istic on the model of the Greek.[5]

Timeline

  • 2nd third of 12th century – Peter Lombard uses it.[3]
  • 1660s – English characteristic is first recorded.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin, theology, philosophy) Characteristic, distinctive, specific; marking out one person or individual from another.[2][4][3]

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin, neuter) A distinguishing feature.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Characteristicus.” Etymologically, 23 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/characteristicus. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·