mid-14c., carecter, "symbol marked or branded on the body;" mid-15c., "symbol or drawing used in sorcery;" late 15c., "alphabetic letter, graphic symbol standing for a sound or syllable;" from Old French caratere "feature, character" (13c., Modern French caractère), from Latin character, from Greek kharaktēr "engraved mark," also "symbol or imprint on the soul," properly "instrument for marking," from kharassein "to engrave," from kharax "pointed stake," a word of uncertain etymology which Beekes considers "most probably Pre-Greek." In English the Latin ch- spelling was restored from 1500s.
The meaning of Greek kharaktēr was extended in Hellenistic times by metaphor to "a defining quality, individual feature." In English, the meaning "sum of qualities that define a person or thing and distinguish it from another" is from 1640s. That of "moral qualities assigned to a person by repute" is from 1712.
You remember Eponina, who kept her husband alive in an underground cavern so devotedly and heroically? The force of character she showed in keeping up his spirits would have been used to hide a lover from her husband if they had been living quietly in Rome. Strong characters need strong nourishment. [Stendhal "de l'Amour," 1822]
The sense of "person in a play or novel" is first attested 1660s, in reference to the "defining qualities" he or she is given by the author. The meaning "a person" in the abstract is from 1749; especially "eccentric person" (1773). The colloquial sense of "chap, fellow" is from 1931. Character-actor, one who specializes in characters with marked peculiarities, is attested from 1861; character assassination is so called from 1888; character building (n.) from 1886.
adjective ("pertaining to or indicating character") and noun ("a distinctive trait; that which gives or indicates character") both first attested 1660s, from character + -istic on model of Greek kharaktēristikos. Earlier in the adjectival sense was characteristical (1620s). Related: Characteristically (1640s). Characteristics "distinctive traits" also is attested from 1660s.
1590s, "engrave, write," a back-formation from characterization, or else from Medieval Latin characterizare, from Greek kharaktērizein "designate by a characteristic mark," from kharaktēr (see character). The meaning "describe the qualities of" is recorded from 1630s; the sense of "be characteristic of" is from 1744; that of "impart a special stamp or character to" is from 1807. Related: Characterized; characterizing.
1540s, an alteration of Middle English garce "a gash, cut, wound, incision" (early 13c.), from Old North French garser "to scarify, cut, slash" (Old French *garse), apparently from Vulgar Latin *charassare, from Greek kharassein "engrave, sharpen, carve, cut" (from PIE *gher- (4) "to scrape, scratch;" see character). The loss of -r- is characteristic (see cuss (v.)). Slang use for "vulva" dates to mid-1700s. Provincial English has a set of words (gashly, gashful, etc.) with forms from gash but senses from gast- "dreadful, frightful."
"reputation, character, established opinion" (of a specified kind), 1550s, from repute (v.). Especially "good character, the honor or credit derived from good opinion" (1610s).
"fat, humorous, jovial," 1782, from Shakespeare's character.
"quality or character of being predictable," 1855, from predictable + -ity.
"perfection of one's character or life," 1810, from self- + perfection.
