Characteristic vs. Trait — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on August 21, 2023

A characteristic is a feature or quality that distinguishes something or someone, while a trait is a specific quality or attribute that forms the character of an individual or thing.

Difference Between Characteristic and Trait

Table of Contents

➝ Key Differences ➝ Comparison Chart ➝ Definitions ➝ FAQs

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Key Differences

A characteristic generally refers to a feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing, and serving to identify it. On the other hand, a trait is more about a specific and often inherent attribute of an individual or a specific thing.

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When discussing the word characteristic, we might think of it in terms of general categorization. Trait tends to dig deeper into specifics and often touches upon the genetic or inherent side of descriptions, especially when talking about living beings.

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Comparison Chart

Definition

A distinguishing feature or quality.

A specific attribute or tendency.

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Usage

Can apply to objects and concepts.

Usually reserved for living entities.

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Scope

Broader categorization.

More specific and ingrained.

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Biological Context

Describes a feature in a species.

Refers to a specific genetic feature.

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Behavioral Context

General observation about behavior.

Ingrained or hereditary behavior.

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Definitions

Characteristic

A distinguishing feature or quality of someone or something.

The primary characteristic of this species is its vibrant plumage.

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Trait

A distinguishing quality or characteristic of a person's nature.

Her most admirable trait is her unwavering honesty.

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Characteristic

An attribute that helps in identifying or categorizing.

The song had the characteristic sound of the 80s pop.

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Trait

A distinct attribute or feature.

His dominant trait is his relentless ambition.

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Characteristic

A quality that sets something apart from others.

The wine's most noteworthy characteristic is its rich aroma.

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Trait

An inherited characteristic.

The ability to roll the tongue is a genetic trait.

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Characteristic

Typical or distinctive;

Heard my friend's characteristic laugh

Red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn

Stripes characteristic of the zebra

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Trait

A quality or disposition that marks an individual.

The trait of punctuality is valued in many professions.

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Characteristic

(nautical) The distinguishing features of a navigational light on a lighthouse etc by which it can be identified (colour, pattern of flashes etc.).

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Trait

A specific quality that defines one's character.

Perseverance is a trait she shares with her father.

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Characteristic

A typical or noticeable quality.

One characteristic of his writing is the use of vivid imagery.

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Trait

A morphological, physiological, or behavioral feature of an organism.

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Characteristic

A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify them

Certain defining characteristics of the school emerge from the study

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Trait

A distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person

The traditionally British trait of self-denigration

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Characteristic

Being a distinguishing feature of a person or thing.

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Trait

A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character.

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Characteristic

Typical of a particular person, place, or thing

He began with a characteristic attack on extremism

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Trait

(Archaic) A short line or mark made with a writing or drawing implement.

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Characteristic

The whole number or integral part of a logarithm, which gives the order of magnitude of the original number.

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Trait

An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.

The number one personality trait I hate is hypocrisy. Why can't you be consistent!?

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Characteristic

A defining or distinctive attribute.

His patience is a characteristic rarely found in young athletes.

Aug 19, 2023

Trait

(object-oriented) An uninstantiable collection of methods that provides functionality to a class by using the class’s own interface.

Traits are somewhat between an interface and a mixin.

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Characteristic

(mathematics) The integer part of a logarithm.

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Trait

A stroke; a touch.

By this single trait Homer makes an essential difference between the Iliad and Odyssey.

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Characteristic

A feature that helps to identify, tell apart, or describe recognizably; a distinguishing mark or trait.

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Trait

A distinguishing or marked feature; a peculiarity; as, a trait of character.

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Characteristic

Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive.

Characteristic clearness of temper.

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Trait

A distinguishing feature of your personal nature

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Characteristic

The integral part (whether positive or negative) of a logarithm.

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Characteristic

(Mathematics) The integral part of a logarithm as distinguished from the mantissa

The characteristic of the logarithm 6.3214 is 6.

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Characteristic

(Mathematics) The least number of times the multiplicative identity in a ring needs to be added to itself to reach the additive identity, or, if the additive identity is never reached, zero. The integers have a characteristic of zero; the integers modulo 12 have a characteristic of 12.

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Characteristic

A distinguishing feature of a person or thing.

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Characteristic

A distinguishing trait, quality, or property; an element of character; that which characterized.

The characteristics of a true critic.

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Characteristic

A prominent aspect of something;

The map showed roads and other features

Generosity is one of his best characteristics

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Characteristic

A distinguishing quality

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Characteristic

The integer part (positive or negative) of the representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 = 2.808 the characteristic is 2

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Characteristic

Any measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditions

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Characteristic

Being a feature that helps to distinguish a person or thing; distinctive

Heard my friend's characteristic laugh.

The stripes that are characteristic of the zebra.

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Characteristic

For a given field or ring, a natural number that is either the smallest positive number n such that n instances of the multiplicative identity (1) summed together yield the additive identity (0) or, if no such number exists, the number 0.

The characteristic of a field, if non-zero, must be a prime number.

Aug 21, 2023

FAQs

What is a characteristic?

A characteristic is a distinguishing feature or quality that sets something or someone apart.

Aug 21, 2023

Can both words be used interchangeably?

While there's some overlap, it's more precise to use "characteristic" for general features and "trait" for more specific or inherent attributes.

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Is every trait a characteristic?

Every trait can be seen as a characteristic, but not every characteristic is a trait, as traits are more specific.

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Can objects have traits or only characteristics?

Objects can have both, but "trait" is more commonly used for living beings, while "characteristic" is broader and can apply to both animate and inanimate entities.

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What is a trait?

A trait is a specific quality or characteristic, often innate, that defines an individual's nature or disposition.

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How does a characteristic differ from a trait?

A characteristic often speaks to broader qualities or features of an entity, while a trait delves into more specific attributes, especially those inherent in living beings.

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Can a characteristic be changed?

Characteristics can change or evolve, especially when referring to non-inherent attributes or broad categories.

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Do both words have the same origin?

No, "characteristic" originates from the Greek word "kharaktēr" meaning "stamp or imprint," while "trait" comes from the Latin "tractus," meaning "drawing, drawing out or dragging."

Aug 21, 2023

Are traits always inherited?

While many traits, especially in biology, are inherited, the term can also describe learned behaviors or qualities in some contexts.

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In what contexts are these words most commonly used?

"Characteristic" is widely used in descriptions and categorizations, while "trait" is more common in psychology, biology, and discussions about personality.

Aug 21, 2023

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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.