A fictional character is a person or animal in a narrative work of fiction (such as a novel, play, television series, or movie) ^[1][2][3] The character can be completely made up or based on a real-life person. In that case, the difference between a "fictional" and "real" character can be made.^[2] A character who is based on more than one person is called a Composite character. Coming from the ancient Greek word χαρακτήρ, the English word dates from the Restoration,^[4] although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749.^[5][6] From this, the sense of "a part played by an actor" developed.^[6] Character, mainly when played by an actor in the theatre or cinema, involves "the illusion of being a human person."^[7] In literature, characters guide readers through their stories, helping them to understand plots and ponder themes.^[8] Since the end of the 18th century, the phrase "in character" has been used to describe an effective impersonation by an actor.^[6] Since the 19th century, the art of creating characters, as practiced by actors or writers, has been called characterisation.^[6]

The word character can also mean "personality". We can say that someone has a "strong character" meaning a strong, confident personality. It is sometimes used as a noun in this sense: "He is a real character" (meaning someone you cannot easily forget).

A character role in a play means one of the people in the play who have a particular character (personality). They contrast with the main characters of the play. For example, a pair of lovers may be the main characters of the story. The character roles who help the story might be: a wicked stepmother, a kind nurse, an old wise man, a fool, a domestic worker who is very old, a "Mary Sue" who is virtually without flaws, and so forth. These may be archetypes.