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

• affection
• attribute
• attribution
• character
• characteristic
• criterion
• diagnostic
• differentia
• feature
• fingerprint
• hallmark
• mark
• marker
• note
• particularity
• peculiarity
• point
• property
• quality
• specific
• stamp
• touch

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

The study found that, once again, this trait strongly predicted breadcrumbing, and was also associated with ghosting behaviors. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Compared with the other dragons in the original, which character designer Nico Marlet imagined with comically lopsided proportions — bulgy eyes, oversize heads, ungainly fangs — Toothless was an elegant mix of feline and canine traits, mapped onto a sleek black reptilian body. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 June 2025

One of the traits most closely associated with creativity is being open to new experiences. —Elizabeth Passarella, New York Times, 6 June 2025

This cocker-specific trait perfectly explains why a dog like Haze would find such pleasure in having her ears attended to. —Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 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