Words / B2

TRAYT/treɪt/

A trait is a characteristic quality: a personality trait; genetic traits; a trait of the species. Characteristic is already in B1 as a noun; quality is everyday. Habit is learned behaviour. Do not call a one-off action a trait. Psychology and biology both use trait.

Meaning

A particular quality in someone’s character or in a group.

Examples

• “Curiosity is a useful trait in a research assistant.”
• “The breed was selected for that trait, which is the genetic sense.”

Good to know

a personality / genetic trait; traits of. Close: characteristic. Everyday: quality. Learned repetition: habit. Not a single incident. Psych/bio register.

Near in meaning

characteristic

New