French Conversation · Level 63
76 words
French word
caractère
Pronunciation
IPA/kaʁaktɛʁ/
Meaning
- masculine nounpersonality
Example
Il a un bon caractère.
He has a good personality.
More examples
On voit son caractère dans ses choix.
You can see his character in his choices.
Core concept
A recognizable pattern that marks how one person typically thinks, feels, and behaves.
Common phrases
avoir du caractère
have character
un bon caractère
a good character
traits de caractère
character traits
Similar words
personnalité: The overall impression and personality traits conveyed by appearance and speech.
tempérament: An inborn disposition that shapes emotional responses and sensitivity.
humeur: A temporary state of mood or feeling.
comportement: Observable actions and ways of behaving.
Definition in French
Façon habituelle de penser, de ressentir et d'agir propre à une personne.
Word origin
The French noun caractère derives through Latin from Greek kharakter, an engraved mark, whose meaning extends to a quality that identifies a person.
Usage tips
- Caractère also means a written character or letter, so context distinguishes personality from writing.
Other meanings
- characternoun
- naturenoun
- featurenoun
Opposites
- conformismeconformismnoun
- uniformitéuniformitynoun
Related words
- caractérisercharacterizeverb
- caractéristiquecharacteristicadjective