charact

English

Etymology

From Old French characte, from Latin *characta, from Ancient Greek χαρακτός (kharaktós).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæɹækt/

Noun

charact (plural characts)

1. (obsolete) A letter or character.
2. (obsolete) A character or personality.
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     Even so may Angelo / In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms, / Be an arch-villain.

3. (archaic) A magical symbol.
   • 1885, Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Night 15:

     O son of Khazib! when thou wakest from thy sleep dig under thy feet and thou shalt find a bow of brass and three leaden arrows, inscribed with talismans and characts.