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fea·ture (fēchər)
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n.
1.
a. Any of the distinct parts of the face, as the eyes, nose, or mouth.
b. often features The overall appearance of the face or its parts.
2. A prominent or distinctive part, quality, or characteristic: a feature of one's personality; a feature of the landscape.
3. Linguistics
a. A property of linguistic units or forms: Nasality is a phonological feature.
b. In generative linguistics, any of various abstract entities that specify or combine to specify phonological, morphological, semantic, and syntactic properties of linguistic forms and that act as the targets of linguistic rules and operations.
4.
a. The main film presentation at a theater.
b. A long, narrative movie, typically lasting more than one hour.
5. A special attraction at an entertainment.
6. A prominent or special article, story, or department in a newspaper or periodical.
7. An item advertised or offered as particularly attractive or as an inducement: a washing machine with many features.
8. Archaic
a. Outward appearance; form or shape.
b. Physical beauty.
tr.v. fea·tured, fea·tur·ing, fea·tures
1. To give special attention to; display, publicize, or make prominent.
2. To have or include as a prominent part or characteristic: The play featured two well-known actors.
3. To depict or outline the features of.
4. Informal To picture mentally; imagine: Can you feature her in that hat?

[Middle English feture, from Old French faiture, from Latin factūra, a working or making, from factus, past participle of facere, to make, do; see dhē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.