trait

American  

[treyt, trey] / treɪt, treɪ /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of trait

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

Example Sentences

It’s a trait that has been on full display in every interview Kelly has given since he became the target of the administration’s ire.

From Salon

Their collective group, known as Lepidosauria, has achieved remarkable success, raising long-standing questions about which early traits gave them such an advantage.

From Science Daily

Adams studies video of opponents and factors in body type, experience, skill set and tendencies among other traits.

From Los Angeles Times

The researchers emphasized that these personality labels reflect human observations and that it remains unclear whether wolf-derived DNA directly influences these traits.

From Science Daily

Other behavioral traits, such as agitation or anxiety, did not show the same association.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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