χαρακτήρ

χᾰρακτήρ, ῆρος, ὁ, ([etym.] χαράσσω)

A engraver, Euryph. ap. Stob.4.39.27; one who mints coins, IPE1216A14 (Olbia, iii B. C.).

2 graving tool, Daimachus 4J. (pl.) ap.St.Byz. s.v. Λακεδαίμων.

3 die, stamp, IG22.1013.64, 1408.11, 1424a120, 280, 1469.107; in a simile, Arist.GA781a28.

4 branding-iron, Clara Rhodos 2.171 (ii B. C.).

II mark engraved, impress, stamp on coins and seals,

ἀργύρου λαμπρὸς χ. E.El.559

, cf. Pl.Plt.289b, Arist. Pol.1257a40; coin type, standard,

ἦν δ' ὁ ἀρχαῖος χ. δίδραχμον Id.Ath.10.2

, cf. OGI339.45 (Sestos, ii B. C.), D.S.17.66; Κότυος χ. Head Hist.Num.2285 (Thrace, i B. C.): hence, in pl., = χάραγμα 1.2, PFlor.61.21 (i A. D.): metaph., οἷς ἡ ἀρετὴ εὐδοξίας χαρακτῆρα τοῖς ἔργοις ἐπέβαλεν set a stamp upon them, Isoc.1.8; Κύπριος (s. v. l.)

χαρακτὴρ . . ἐν γυναικείοις τύποις εἰκὼς πέπληκται A.Supp.282

.

2 esp. of figures or letters,

οἱ τῶν γραμμάτων χ. Plu.2.214f

; ὁ τύπος τῶν χ. ib.577f, cf. 1120f, D.S.3.67; of the letters used by Hp. in Epid.3.1, Zeno and Apollonius ap.Gal.17(1).618, cf. 524sq.; of a single letter of the alphabet, Jul.Or.2.72a;

ξυλήφια βραχέα ἔχοντα χαρακτῆρα Plb.6.35.7

; brand on a camel, PGen.29.8 (ii A. D.); of symbols in a prescription, Gal.13.995; of magical symbols (such as the seven vowels),

τῶν χ. ἡ ἀπόρρητος φύσις Jul.Or.7.216c

, cf. Iamb.Myst.3.13, Sallust.15; of hieroglyphs, opp. γράμματα, Luc. Herm.44.

3 metaph., distinctive mark or token impressed (as it were) on a person or thing, by which it is known from others, characteristic, character, χ. γλώσσης, of a particular dialect, Hdt.1.57,142;

χ. αὑτὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ S.Fr.176

;

χ. ἡμεδαπὸς τῶν ῥημάτων Ar.Pax220

; ὁ Ἑλληνικὸς χ. Greek idiom, D.H.Pomp.3: freq. of persons, feature,

ὁ χ. τοῦ προσώπου Hdt.1.116

;

εἰληφέναι χαρακτῆρα ἑκατέρου τοῦ εἴδους Pl.Phdr.263b

;

οἱ τῆς ὄψεως χ. D.S.1.91

;

ἀνδρῶν οὐδεὶς χ. ἐμπέφυκε σώματι E.Med.519

;

δεινὸς χ. κἀπίσημος . . ἐσθλῶν γενέσθαι Id.Hec.379

;

φανερὸς χ. ἀρετᾶς Id.HF659

(lyr.); ἠθικοὶ χ., title of work by Thphr.: pl., οἱ χ. the features of the face, J.AJ13.12.1, cf. OGI508.13 (Ephesus, ii A. D.); χ. μορφῆς ἐμῆς ib.383.60 (Nemrud Dagh, i B. C., sg.); [τοῦ ἐμβρύου] Sor.1.33 (pl.): hence,

4 type or character (regarded as shared with others) of a thing or person, rarely of an individual nature,

ἀνδρὸς χ. ἐκ λόγου γνωρίζεται Men.72

;

χ. μοχθηρότατον παραπλάττεσθαι Phld.Rh.1.6

S.;

τὸν χ. τὸν Διογένους Arr.Epict.3.22.80

; τίνα ἔχει χ. τὰ δόγματα; ib.4.5.17; of nations, Plb.18.34.7.

5 style, freq. in Rhet.,

ὁ Δημοσθένους χ. D.H.Dem.9

, cf. Pomp.1, Cic.QF2.15(16).5;

χ. δικανικός Phld.Rh.2.137S.

; χ. optimi the ideal type, Cic.Orat. 11.36, cf.39.134;

χ. ἰσχνός, μεγαλοπρεπής, γλαφυρός, δεινός Demetr. Eloc.36

, cf. D.H.Dem.33;

χ. λέξεως Id.Lys.11

;

χ. Ἀσιανός Str.13.1.66

.

6 impress, image, τῆς ὑποστάσεως [τοῦ θεοῦ] Ep.Heb.1.3; πάθους, ἀρετῆς, Longin.22.1, Eun.Hist.p.243 D.: abs., οἱ Σεβάστειοι χ. the imperial seal, i.e. the emperor himself, IG5(2).268.24 (Mantinea, i B. C.).

7 Gramm., typical form, A.D.Synt.20.10, 103.23.