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

Paramount cited his extensive experience in strategic transactions and active engagement within the AI ecosystem as valuable traits that would help advance Paramount’s growth plan.

From The Wall Street Journal

This apocryphal lazybones is defined by two traits.

From Salon

But Jack Ablin, chief investment strategist at money manager Cresset, has identified a related trait shared by some companies that are both younger and flashier than Berkshire.

From The Wall Street Journal

Further analysis showed that specific genetic traits influence how well bacteria can endure treatment and effectively wait it out.

From Science Daily

That kind of education cultivates adaptability, resilience and judgment, the traits employers say they value most.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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