1.a mark engraved or impressed, the impress or stamp on coins and seals, Eur.; εὐδοξίας χαρακτῆρα τοῖς ἔργοις ἐπέβαλεν set a stamp of good repute upon them, Isocr.
2.metaph. the mark impressed (as it were) on a person or thing, a distinctive mark, characteristic, character, χ. γλώσσης of a particular language or dialect, Hdt.; of persons, ὁ χ. τοῦ προσώπου id=Hdt.; ἀνδρῶν οὐδεὶς χ. ἐμπέφυκε σώματι no outward mark has been set by nature on the person of men, Eur.; φανερὸς χ. ἀρετᾶς id=Eur.