I. An instrument for branding or marking, etc.: character est ferrum coloratum, quo notae pecudibus inuruntur, χαρακτήρ autem Graece, Latine forma dicitur, Isid. Orig. 20, 16, 7.—
II. Usu., the mark or sign burned or imprinted.
A. Prop. (esp. upon animals): “quadrupedia charactere signare,” Col. 11, 2, 14; Pall. Jan. 16: “characterem infigere alicui,” Aug. Contr. Cresc. 1, 30.—
B. Trop., a characteristic, mark, character, style, etc. (only ante- and postclass.): “Luciliano charactere libelli,” Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 17; Serv. ad Verg. E. 3, 1; Diom. p. 481 P. (cf. Cic. Or. 39, 134; id. Q. Fr. 2, 15 (16), 5; and Gell. 7, 14, 1, in which passages it is written as Greek).
