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 of trait

• 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

Ahead of the store’s opening, IKEA created the country’s first Life at Home report, documenting the quirky traits of more than 500 Kiwi homes, where the retailer found 93% of garages are carpeted and 88% of home entryways are cluttered. —Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025

Genetic testing companies like Nucleus say DNA screening of embryos can prevent disease, while also giving parents a unique ability to compare and choose traits that make up a healthier baby – and one that's more desirable in the eyes of mom and dad. —Tony Dokoupil, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025

The idea of a single gene for complex traits — whether height, intelligence, mental health, or sexuality — has largely fallen away. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 3 Dec. 2025

Rather than prizing animals for their beauty, their virile traits or their straight-up cool characteristics, frogposting is all about vulnerable animals—the dweebs of the animal kingdom. —Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 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