trait
gb/tɹˈeɪt/ us/tɹˈeɪt/
B1
English
~ 9600
tulajdonság, jellemvonás, öröklődő tulajdonság, genetikai tulajdonság
NOUN
B1
1
tulajdonság
A2
jellemvonás
B2
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] trait of [someone/something]
Honesty is an important trait in a good leader.
Az őszinteség fontos tulajdonság egy jó vezetőben.
One of her most charming traits is her ability to stay calm under pressure.
Az egyik legelbűvölőbb tulajdonsága, hogy nyomás alatt is képes nyugodt maradni.
The new smartphone has several innovative traits that set it apart from older models.
Patience is a trait that many teachers develop over time.
Curiosity is a common trait among successful scientists.
Learner examples
Kindness is a very good trait in a friend.
A kedvesség nagyon jó tulajdonság egy barátban.
My brother has a funny trait: he laughs at his own jokes.
A bátyámnak van egy vicces tulajdonsága: nevet a saját viccein.
A strong trait of this team is that they never give up.
Being on time is a useful trait at work.
Her best trait is that she listens carefully to other people.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "trait" with "treat" or "trade" in writing because they look similar. Another mistake is using "trait" only for negative qualities; in fact, it can describe positive, negative, or neutral qualities. Also, learners may overuse "trait" where "habit" is better ("a habit of being late" is more natural than "a trait of being late").
Meaning
distinctive quality or characteristic
Collocations
personality trait
|character trait
|physical trait
|negative trait
|distinctive trait
|unique trait
Synonyms
quality (Very general and common; can describe both character and non-human things, while "trait" is often about character.)
|
characteristic (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used for things as well as people.)
|
feature (Common for physical aspects or parts of things; less focused on personality than "trait".)
Antonyms
fault (Focuses on a bad or weak quality, while "trait" itself is neutral and can be good, bad, or neutral.)
Themes
people
|psychology
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A quality or part of someone’s character, or a special feature of something, that makes them different from others.
A characteristic quality or feature that helps to identify or describe a person, animal, thing, or group, especially a part of their character or typical behavior.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
a genetic trait in [plants/animals/people]
Eye color is a classic example of a genetic trait.
A szemszín klasszikus példa az öröklődő tulajdonságra.
Scientists studied which traits in the crop plants were controlled by a single gene.
A tudósok azt vizsgálták, hogy a haszonnövények mely tulajdonságait irányítja egyetlen gén.
The disease is linked to a recessive trait that appears only when both parents carry the gene.
Some behavioral traits in animals are strongly influenced by genetics.
Height is a complex trait that is affected by many different genes and by nutrition.
Learner examples
Brown eyes are a common genetic trait in many countries.
A barna szem sok országban gyakori öröklődő tulajdonság.
This trait is passed from the parents to the child through genes.
Ez a tulajdonság a géneken keresztül öröklődik a szülőkről a gyermekre.
Scientists want to know which traits help plants grow in dry places.
A dominant trait can hide a recessive trait in the next generation.
Some traits come from genes, and other traits come from our life and environment.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "gene" and "trait" and say things like "eye color is a gene" instead of "eye color is a genetic trait" or "a trait controlled by genes." They may also incorrectly use "character" instead of "trait" in scientific contexts, where "trait" is preferred.
Meaning
inherited genetic characteristic
Collocations
genetic trait
|inherited trait
|heritable trait
|dominant trait
|recessive trait
Synonyms
genetic characteristic (More explicit and formal; clearly links the idea to genetics, while "trait" is the standard technical term.)
|
heritable feature (Emphasizes that the characteristic can be passed on, but is slightly less common than "genetic trait" in scientific writing.)
Antonyms
acquired characteristic (Describes a feature developed after birth due to environment or experience, not inherited through genes, so it contrasts with a genetic trait.)
Themes
science
|biology
|genetics
Definition
A characteristic of a plant, animal, or person that is passed from parents to children through genes, like eye color or hair type.
An inherited characteristic of an organism, such as eye color or blood type, that is determined partly or entirely by its genes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
trait
IPA
GB/tɹˈeɪt/
US/tɹˈeɪt/
Syllables & stress
trait (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (trait)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: trait
- Plural: traits
Word family
Forms
traits
noun
Core family
characteristic
noun B1
quality
noun A2
Negative and opposite forms
uncharacteristic
adjective C1
Expressions
character trait
1/kˈɛɹɪktɚ tɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
quality in a person's character
A quality that shows what kind of person someone is, such as being honest or lazy.
Examples
- Honesty is an important character trait in a good friend.
- Teachers often discuss which character traits help students succeed.
- The story focuses on the main character's traits, such as courage and loyalty.
dominant trait
1/dˈɑmənənt tɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
genetic trait that masks another
A genetic trait that appears in an organism when there is at least one copy of its gene, and that can hide a recessive trait.
Examples
- Brown eyes are often used as an example of a dominant trait in biology classes.
- If a child inherits a dominant trait from one parent, that trait is usually visible.
- The scientist explained how a dominant trait can mask a recessive one in the next generation.
personality trait
1/pˌɚsənˈælɪti tɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
quality of someone's personality
A quality that is part of how a person usually thinks, feels, or behaves.
Examples
- Patience is a personality trait that many employers value.
- Introversion and extroversion are well-known personality traits in psychology.
- Kindness was the first personality trait that her friends mentioned about her.
recessive trait
1/ɹɪsˈɛsɪv tɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
genetic trait hidden by dominant one
A genetic trait that usually does not appear unless a person or animal gets the same gene for it from both parents.
Examples
- Blue eyes are often taught as an example of a recessive trait.
- A recessive trait can skip generations and appear in grandchildren.
- For a recessive trait to show, the organism must inherit the recessive gene from both parents.
recessive trait
1/ɹɪsˈɛsɪv tɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
trait needing two copies
A recessive trait usually appears only if you get it from both parents.
Examples
- In the worksheet, students predicted the chance of inheriting a recessive trait.
- A recessive trait may skip a generation if only one parent passes on the allele.
Learner examples
- Some traits are recessive.