[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/characterisation/)

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# characterisation

noun (characterisation, uncountable; a characterisation, characterisations); US spelling characterization

«characterisation» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The way a writer or actor shows what a character in a story is like. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#m1)
2. (formal) A description of the main qualities of someone or something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#m2)

### In the lessons

In English lessons: how an author creates characters through speech, actions, thoughts and how others react. Exam language: «comment on the writer's characterisation of the villain». Science (formal): characterisation of a material describes its properties.

### Examples

- The author's characterisation of the giant makes him kind as well as scary. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x1)
- We studied characterisation in our reading lesson. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x2)
- Good characterisation makes readers care about a hero. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x3)
- The actor's characterisation of the king was brilliant. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x4)
- That is an unfair characterisation of my friend. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x5)
- Use dialogue to help your characterisation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x6)
- The subtle characterisation of the various occupations reaches a high level of artistic merit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/#x7)

### Note

UK spelling -isation; US -ization. Verb: characterise/characterize. Do not confuse with «character» (the person in the story).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «characterisation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/characterisation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«characterisation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/characterisation.html) on Mova free.