# trait

> English word · Noun · IPA /tɹeɪt/ · frequency rank #11,484

## Definitions
1. An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.
2. An uninstantiable collection of methods that provides functionality to a class by using the class’s own interface.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French trait (“line, feature”), from Latin tractus (“drawing, pulling”), from Latin trahō. Doublet of tract.

## Easily confused with
- **tri** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tri)
- **trip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trip)
- **trap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trap)
- **trio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trio)
- **trim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trim)
- **tray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tray)
- **tram** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tram)
- **twat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-twat)
- **trot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trot)
- **Tran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tran)
- **tris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tris)
- **Tsai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-tsai)
- **twit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-twit)
- **trig** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trig)
- **Trav** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trav)
- **trust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trust)
- **treat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-treat)
- **trash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trash)
- **trans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trans)
- **Trent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trait-vs-trent)

## Common misspellings (7)
`rtait`, `tarit`, `traitt`, `trati`, `triat`, `trrait`, `ttrait`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/trait