characteristic vs special

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.). 

special

adj
  • Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality. 

  • Chief in excellence. 

  • Of particular personal interest or value; dear; beloved. 

  • Of or related to disabilities, especially learning or intellectual disabilities. 

  • Constituting or relating to a species. 

  • Of or related to unconventional warfare. 

verb
  • To supervise a patient one-on-one. 

noun
  • Anything that is not according to normal practice, plan, or schedule, as an unscheduled run of transportation that is normally scheduled. 

  • A person appointed specifically to examine a single event or issue. 

  • Any unlicensed medicine produced or obtained for a specific individual patient. 

  • A dispatch sent back by a special correspondent. 

  • One of a rotation of meals systematically offered for a lower price at a restaurant. 

  • A light that illuminates a specific person or thing on the stage. 

  • A reduction in consumer cost (usually for a limited time) for items or services rendered. 

  • A special constable. 

  • A correspondent; a journalist sent to the scene of an event to report back. 

  • Unusual or exceptional episode of a series. 

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