trait

American  

[treyt, trey] / treɪt, treɪ /

noun

traits plural

1. a distinguishing characteristic or quality, especially of one's personal nature.

   bad traits of character.

   Synonyms:

   property, attribute, mark, peculiarity

2. a pen or pencil stroke.

3. a stroke, touch, or strain, as of some quality.

   a trait of pathos; a trait of ready wit.

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trait British  

/ treɪ, treɪt /

noun

1. a characteristic feature or quality distinguishing a particular person or thing

2. rare a touch or stroke

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trait Scientific  

/ trāt /

1. A genetically determined characteristic or condition. Traits may be physical, such as hair color or leaf shape, or they may be behavioral, such as nesting in birds and burrowing in rodents. Traits typically result from the combined action of several genes, though some traits are expressed by a single gene.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• traits
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trait

First recorded in 1470–80; from Middle French: literally, “something drawn,” from Latin tractus; see tract ¹

Explanation

A trait is something about you that makes you "you." When your mother says that you get all your best traits from her, she means you have the same charming smile and the same brilliant mind as she has. In science, trait refers to a characteristic that is caused by genetics. Having green eyes or being shorter than average are traits a person might have. In more general use, a trait is an important part of someone’s personality or appearance. Try to describe your favorite teacher in three words and you’ll probably come up with a list of her essential traits — such as compassionate, calm, and kooky.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trait traits

"Even more surprising was that each time this trait evolved, it did so through different genes -- even though all of them belong to the same biological system controlling leaf development," says Bieker.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 30, 2026

Over generations, the trait propagates through the population until what was once a rare mutation becomes commonplace.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

He does things his own way and there are times, like last week, when that makes him appear self-absorbed - a trait that does not usually play well in a golf locker room.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

In the lawsuit, Dickey’s parents alleged that Bucknell athletic trainers and coaches knew their son had sickle cell trait and failed to take steps to ensure precautions were in place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

If this is a family trait, then does Dad have a gift?

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

The main author of a 2021 paper, external on the topic, she says good-looking people get hired more often because people associate attractiveness with positive traits such as trustworthiness and intelligence.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

They compared anatomical traits from living and extinct apes, DNA from living species, and the geological ages of known fossils.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026

Beyond making us laugh, Neill’s wit was one of those special traits that enhanced all the other aspects that made him so lovable as both an actor and a person.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

"We need more predictive frameworks that link behavioral responses to ecological and evolutionary context. That includes incorporating species traits, past exposure to humans, predator communities, and landscape structure," says D'Souza.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

He counted on his fingers as he listed Humbaba's traits.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• attribute
• character
• feature
• habit
• idiosyncrasy
• manner
• oddity
• peculiarity
• quality
• quirk
• trick
• virtue