Phrase guide

characteristic function

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A function which is equal to 1 for all points in its domain which belong to a given set, and is equal to 0 for all points in the domain which do not belong to that given set.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematical-analysis, mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A complex function completely defining the probability distribution of a real-valued random variable

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, probability-theory, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: характеристична функция (harakteristična funkcija) — a complex function completely defining a probability distribution
  • Finnish: karakteristinen funktio — a complex function completely defining a probability distribution