▪ I. charact arch.
(ˈkærækt)
Also 5–6 charecte, 6 charect, 6–7 characte; and see caract.
[a. central OF. characte = ONF. caracte: see caract.]
† 1. An engraved or impressed mark; a stamp, impress; a letter, figure, etc. Obs.
| c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iv. ii. (1554) 102 Charectes of his woundes. 1552 Bale Apol. 96 The very charactes or markes of the infernall beast. 1561 J. Daus tr. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573) 194 b, Those three charects (χ, ξ, ς). 1570 Billingsley Euclid vii. def. ii. 184 Figures or charactes of number vsed in Arithmetique. 1603 Knolles Turks (1621) 476 Mourning letters written in blacke paper with white charactes. |
2. A cabbalistic or magical sign or emblem.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 437 b, To Christen..with Salt, Oile, Water, Charactes and exorcismes. 1855 Smedley Occult Sc. 347 Written charms carried for defence are also known under the name of characts. 1886 Burton Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.) I. 126 Inscribed with talismans and characts. |
▪ II. charact
obs. form of carat.