Trait

Distinguishing quality or characteristic.

A trait is a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to someone.

Pronunciation

/treɪt/

Etymology

From Old French trait’e, from Latin tractatus, past participle of trahere meaning 'to draw, pull'.

Explain Like I’m 5

A trait is like a special feature that makes you, or something else, different from others - like having blue eyes or being good at playing the piano.

Fun Facts

Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk, is considered the 'father of genetics' for his work on inherited traits in pea plants
Some animals have camouflage as a trait to help them hide from predators
Identical twins share almost all of their traits due to having the same DNA

FAQ

What is a trait? A distinguishing quality or characteristic
How are traits inherited? Traits are passed down from parents to offspring through genes
Can traits be physical or behavioral? Yes, traits can include physical features like eye color and behaviors like shyness

Synonyms — Similar or Related Terms

quality feature characteristic

Hypernyms — Broader Categories

attribute characteristic quality

Hyponyms — Specific Examples

feature aspect property

Indexes

character trait physical attribute

Built by Tim Jones