Trait
Pronunciation
- enPR: trÄ, IPA: /treɪ/
- Rhymes: -eɪ
- enPR: trÄt, IPA: /treɪt/
- Rhymes: -eɪt
Origin
From Middle French, from Latin tractus.
Full definition of trait
Noun
trait
(plural traits)- an identifying characteristic, habit or trend
- 1856, Ralph Waldo Emerson, English Traits, The English, of all classes, value themselves on this trait, as distinguishing them from the French, who, in the popular belief, are more polite than true.
- 1916, John Dewey, S:Democracy and Education/Section 4, The positive and constructive aspect of possibility gives the key to understanding the two chief traits of immaturity, dependence and plasticity.
- The number one personality trait I hate is hypocrisy. Why can't you be consistent!?
- (computing, programming) In object-oriented programming, an uninstantiable collection of methods that provides functionality to a class by using the class’s own interface.