n. 1. A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character. See Synonyms at quality. 2. A morphological, physiological, or behavioral feature of an organism. 3. Archaic A short line or mark made with a writing or drawing implement. [French, pull, stroke, line, feature, from Old French, from Latin tractus, a drawing out, line; see TRACT1.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.