characteristic vs regular

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.). 

regular

adj
  • Having the expected characteristics or appearances; normal, ordinary, standard. 

  • Such that every set in its domain is both outer regular and inner regular. 

  • Having all the parts of the same kind alike in size and shape. 

  • Bound by religious rule; belonging to a monastic or religious order (often as opposed to secular). 

  • Demonstrating a consistent set of rules; showing order, evenness of operation or occurrence. 

  • Exemplary; excellent example of; utter, downright. 

  • Happening at constant (especially short) intervals. 

  • Permanently organised; being part of a set professional body of troops. 

  • Having bowel movements or menstrual periods at constant intervals in the expected way. 

  • Riding with the left foot forward. 

  • Isometric. 

  • Both equilateral and equiangular; having all sides of the same length, and all (corresponding) angles of the same size 

  • Whose faces are all congruent regular polygons, equally inclined to each other. 

  • Following a set or common pattern; according to the normal rules of a given language. 

  • Having a constant pattern; showing evenness of form or appearance. 

  • Of a moon or other satellite: following a relatively close and prograde orbit with little inclination or eccentricity. 

noun
  • A member of a religious order who has taken the three ordinary vows. 

  • A frequent, routine visitor to an establishment. 

  • A member of an armed forces or police force. 

  • A frequent customer, client or business partner. 

  • A number for each year, giving, added to the concurrents, the number of the day of the week on which the Paschal full moon falls. 

  • A coffee with one cream and one sugar. 

  • A fixed number for each month serving to ascertain the day of the week, or the age of the moon, on the first day of any month. 

  • A member of the British Army (as opposed to a member of the Territorial Army or Reserve). 

  • Anything that is normal or standard. 

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