characterization

n. character description; creation of characters in a play or novel etc. (also characterisation)

Characterization is the process of conveying information about characters in fiction. Characters are usually presented through their actions, dialect, and thoughts, as well as by description. Characterization can regard a variety of aspects of a character, such as appearance, age, gender, educational level, vocation or occupation, financial status, marital status, social status, cultural background, hobbies, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ambitions, motivations, personality, etc.
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Noun
1. a graphic or vivid verbal description; "too often the narrative was interrupted by long word pictures"; "the author gives a depressing picture of life in Poland"; "the pamphlet contained brief characterizations of famous Vermonters"
(synonym) word picture, word-painting, delineation, depiction, picture, characterisation
(hypernym) description, verbal description
(hyponym) epithet
2. the act of describing distinctive characteristics or essential features; "the media's characterization of Al Gore as a nerd"
(synonym) characterisation
(hypernym) description
(derivation) qualify, characterize, characterise
3. acting the part of a character on stage; dramaticially representing the character by speech and action and gesture
(synonym) portrayal, enactment, personation
(hypernym) acting, playing, playacting, performing
(hyponym) impression

(n.)
The act or process of characterizing.
  

Synonyms and related words:
acting, action, alphabet, anagnorisis, angle, aping, architectonics, architecture, argument, art, atmosphere, background, blueprint, buffoonery, business, cameo, catalog, cataloging, catastrophe, character, character sketch, charactering, chart, choreography, color, complication, continuity, contrivance, conventional representation, dance notation, definition, delineation, demonstration, denomination, denotation, denouement, depiction, depictment, description, design, designation, details, development, device, diagram, differentiation, disclosure, distinction, drama, drawing, dumb show, embodiment, enacting, enactment, episode, evocation, exemplification, expression, fable, falling action, figuration, fingering, gag, gimmick, graphic account, ham, hammy acting, hieroglyphic, hint, hoke, hokum, iconography, identification, ideogram, illustration, image, imagery, imaging, imitation, impersonation, impression, incarnation, incident, indication, indicativeness, itemization, letter, limning, line, local color, logogram, logograph, manifestation, map, masquerade, meaning, mimesis, mimicking, mimicry, miming, mood, motif, movement, mummery, musical notation, mythos, naming, notation, overacting, pantomime, pantomiming, particularization, patter, performance, performing, peripeteia, personation, personification, photograph, picking out, pictogram, picture, picturization, plan, playacting, playing, plot, pointing, pointing out, pointing to, portrait, portraiture, portrayal, posing, prefigurement, presentment, printing, profile, projection, realization, recognition, rendering, rendition, representation, rising action, schema, scheme, score, script, secondary plot, selection, show, showing, signification, sketch, slant, slapstick, specification, stage business, stage directions, stage presence, story, structure, stunt, subject, subplot, suggestion, switch, syllabary, symbol, symptomaticness, tablature, taking a role, thematic development, theme, tone, topic, twist, vignette, vivid description, word painting, writing