characteristic vs personal

characteristic

adj
  • Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing. 

noun
  • A distinguishing feature of a person or thing. 

  • For a given field or ring, a natural number that is either the smallest positive number n such that n instances of the multiplicative identity (1) summed together yield the additive identity (0) or, if no such number exists, the number 0. 

  • The integer part of a logarithm. 

  • The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.). 

personal

adj
  • Pertaining to human beings as distinct from things. 

  • personal values personal desire personal reasons 

  • Intended for sexual use. 

  • Relating to an individual, their character, conduct, motives, or private affairs, in an invidious and offensive manner 

  • Pertaining to the external or bodily appearance; corporeal. 

  • Done in person; without the intervention of another. 

  • Denoting a person. 

  • Denoting ownership. 

  • Of or pertaining to a particular person; relating to, or affecting, an individual, or each of many individuals; peculiar or proper to private concerns; not public or general 

  • Dealing with subjects about which one wishes (or people usually wish) to maintain privacy or discretion; not for public view; sensitive, intimate. 

noun
  • An advertisement by which an individual attempts to meet others with similar interests. 

  • A movable; a chattel. 

How often have the words characteristic and personal occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )