distinctive feature

American  

noun

Linguistics.

1. a feature of the sound system of a language that serves as the crucial distinguishing mark between two phonemes, as the distinctive feature of voicing, which distinguishes b from p in English, or nasality, which distinguishes m from b and p.

2. any of a set of phonetic properties, as coronal, nasal, or strident, serving as a basic unit of phonological analysis by which the sounds that are significant in a language can be characterized and distinguished from one another.

3. a component or phonetic feature characterizing a phoneme.

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Etymology

Origin of distinctive feature

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The figures’ long, elegant fingers are a distinctive feature of Bohemian Gothic art, as are the tight blond curls framing the round faces of Mary, Jesus and the angel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Judge Capstick said a distinctive feature belonging to the teenager could be matched to the figure shown on the footage.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2025

You write this in your new book, Memory and Authority: “A distinctive feature of American constitutional culture is its quasi-religious veneration of its framers and founders.”

From Slate • May 8, 2024

A very distinctive feature of this system is its chain of resonances: the planets orbit their host star in perfect harmony.

From Science Daily • Nov. 29, 2023

The Clabbert’s most distinctive feature is the large pustule in the middle of its forehead, which turns scarlet and flashes when it senses danger.

From "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling