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Verb: characterize  'ker-ik-tu,rIz [N. Amer], 'ka-rik-tu,rIz [Brit]
  1. Describe or portray the character or the qualities or peculiarities of
    "This poem can be characterized as a lament for a dead lover"; "You can characterize his behaviour as that of an egotist";
    - qualify, characterise [Brit]
  2. Be characteristic of
    "What characterizes a Venetian painting?";
    - characterise [Brit]

Derived forms: characterized, characterizes, characterizing

Type of: differentiate, distinguish, mark, remember, think of