trait

noun

ˈtrāt How to pronounce trait (audio)
British also
ˈtrā How to pronounce trait (audio)
Synonyms of trait
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

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The traits rewarded in high-performing individual contributors—like decisiveness, high output, competitive drive—are not necessarily the same traits that make an effective manager. — Miriam Groom, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Like Saban, Smart demands physicality, instills competitiveness and obsesses over details — traits Sumrall values, too. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026 The following passage from Maclachlan’s memoir well illustrates Stewart’s refusal to treat popular entertainment with any less seriousness than Shakespeare, a trait that would serve him well throughout his career. — Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2026 Researchers have not identified which traits make someone more likely to form the antibodies, and Yang said antibody formation has not been linked to other health effects. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trait

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of trait was in 1589

Phrases Containing trait

Rhymes for trait

See All Rhymes for trait

Browse Nearby Words

traipse
trait
trait-complex
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trait.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trait. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

trait

noun
ˈtrāt How to pronounce trait (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on trait

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trait

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All