व्यावृत्तिर्व्यवहारो वा लक्षणस्य प्रयोजनम् ।
vyāvṛttir vyavahāro vā lakṣaṇasya prayojanam |
(Tarka-dīpikā; Amṛta-ṭīkā on Hari-nāmāṛta-vyākaraṇa: 45)
“The purpose of a characteristic (lakṣaṇa) is differentiation [of the object possessing the characteristic from other objects] and [determining the practical] usage [of the object].”