Trait: meaning, definitions and examples
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trait
[ treɪt ]
personality characteristic
A trait is a distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person. Traits can be physical, such as eye color, or behavioral, such as being outgoing or shy. Traits are often used to describe someone's personality.
Synonyms
attribute, characteristic, feature, quality
Examples of usage
- He has a very kind and generous trait.
- She inherited her mother's artistic trait.
- His stubborn trait sometimes causes conflicts.
genetics
In genetics, a trait is a specific characteristic that is inherited from parents and can be observed in an organism. Traits can be physical, such as hair color, or physiological, such as blood type. The study of traits is important in understanding inheritance patterns.
Synonyms
genetic characteristic, hereditary attribute, inherited feature
Examples of usage
- Blue eyes are a recessive trait.
- The ability to roll the tongue is a genetic trait.
- Genetic traits can be influenced by environmental factors.
psychology
In psychology, a trait is a relatively stable and enduring characteristic that describes an individual's behavior. Traits are used to understand and predict patterns of behavior across different situations. The study of traits is central to personality psychology.
Synonyms
behavioral tendency, individual attribute, personality characteristic
Examples of usage
- Her introverted trait makes her prefer solitary activities.
- Traits like conscientiousness and extraversion are commonly studied in psychology.
- Personality traits can influence career choices.
Translations
Translations of the word "trait" in other languages:
🇵🇹 característica
- traço
- qualidade
🇮🇳 लक्षण
- गुण
- विशेषता
🇩🇪 Merkmal
- Eigenschaft
- Charakterzug
🇮🇩 sifat
- ciri
- karakter
🇺🇦 риса
- характеристика
- ознака
🇵🇱 cecha
- właściwość
- rys
🇯🇵 特徴
- 特性
- 性質
🇫🇷 caractéristique
- trait
- qualité
🇪🇸 característica
- rasgo
- cualidad
🇹🇷 özellik
- nitelik
- karakteristik
🇰🇷 특징
- 특성
- 성질
🇸🇦 سمة
- خاصية
- ميزة
🇨🇿 vlastnost
- rys
- charakteristika
🇸🇰 vlastnosť
- rys
- charakteristika
🇨🇳 特征
- 特点
- 性质
🇸🇮 značilnost
- lastnost
- poteza
🇮🇸 einkenni
- eiginleiki
- þáttur
🇰🇿 ерекшелік
- қасиет
- сипаттама
🇬🇪 თვისება
- მახასიათებელი
- ნიშანი
🇦🇿 xüsusiyyət
- cəhət
- xarakteristika
🇲🇽 característica
- rasgo
- cualidad
Word origin
The word 'trait' originated from the Latin word 'tractus', meaning 'drawn' or 'pulled'. It first appeared in English in the late 16th century, primarily used in the context of physical characteristics. Over time, its usage expanded to include behavioral and psychological characteristics, reflecting advances in genetics and psychology. Today, 'trait' is a common term in various fields, from biology to sociology, to describe distinctive qualities and characteristics.