trait

noun

ˈtrāt 

British also

ˈtrā 

1

a

: a distinguishing quality (as of personal character)

curiosity is one of her notable traits

b

: an inherited characteristic

2

a

: a stroke of or as if of a pencil

b

: touch, trace

Synonyms

• characteristic
• feature
• attribute
• quality
• attribution

Examples of trait in a Sentence

This dog breed has a number of desirable traits.

honesty is one of her defining traits

Recent Examples on the Web

Those traits all kind of culminated in me joining the Kansas City Defender around the time of the protests. —Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025

Tools like the Holland Code or Myers-Briggs can help individuals identify their natural strengths and align them with careers that suit those traits. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

From understanding the playbook, detecting an opponents’ strategy to developing leadership traits, there’s a lot of pressure to perform. —Dan Albano, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025

Many people exhibit autistic traits that may not meet the criteria for a diagnosis. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, literally, act of drawing, from Latin tractus — more at tract

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Phrases Containing trait

• sickle-cell trait

Rhymes for trait

• ate
• bait
• bate
• cate
• crate
• date
• eight
• fait
• fate
• fete
• frate
• freight

Kids Definition

trait

noun

ˈtrāt 

1

: a quality that sets one person or thing off from another : peculiarity sense 2

curiosity is one of her notable traits

2

: an inherited characteristic

dominant and recessive traits

Etymology

from early French trait "the act of pulling," from Latin tractus, past participle of trahere "to pull, drag" — related to trace entry 1, trace entry 3

Medical Definition

trait

noun

ˈtrāt, British usually ˈtrā

: an inherited characteristic