caracterizar

to characterise

verb kah-rahk-teh-ree-SAHR Less Common

Also means

to portray

Usage Note

Caracterizar means to be the defining feature of something (la amabilidad lo caracteriza = 'kindness characterises him') or to portray a character in theatre and film. The reflexive caracterizarse por ('to be characterised by') is the most common pattern in academic and journalistic prose. Being an -izar verb, the z becomes c before e in conjugation: yo caractericé ('I characterised').

Examples

"Su humor sutil lo caracteriza como escritor."

Natural Translation

His subtle humour characterises him as a writer.

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