Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Characteristic \Char`ac*ter*is"tic\, a. [Gr. ?: cf. F.
   charact['e]ristique.]
   Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character;
   showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of
   a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive.

         Characteristic clearness of temper.      --Macaulay.

Characteristic \Char`ac*ter*is"tic\, n.
   1. A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element
      of character; that which characterized. --Pope.

            The characteristics of a true critic. --Johnson.

   2. (Math.) The integral part (whether positive or negative)
      of a logarithm.

Source : WordNet®

characteristic
     adj : typical or distinctive; "heard my friend's characteristic
           laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of
           autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra" [ant: {uncharacteristic}]

characteristic
     n 1: a prominent aspect of something; "the map showed roads and
          other features"; "generosity is one of his best
          characteristics" [syn: {feature}]
     2: a distinguishing quality
     3: the integer part (positive or negative) of the
        representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 =
        2.808 the characteristic is 2
     4: any measurable property of a device measured under closely
        specified conditions [syn: {device characteristic}]