What is it meant by characteristic IR?

[Chemist20]

Any ideas? Thanks so much!

 

[chemisttree]

It means that the IR spectrum is so unique that it is characteristic of ...

 

[Chemist20]

Yes but IF I'm just told that a certain organic compound doesn't have any characteristic IR what does that mean?.

 

[MrSid]

This probably means that there isn't an IR absorption band unique to the molecule indicative of a functional group with "characteristic" IR bands in the spectrum. This is in the role as the analyte.
In the role of an IR solvent it would indicate no absorption bands exist that interfere with its use to see the desired characteristic IR bands for ID'ing compounds dissolved in it.