- trait
- c.1477, "shot, missiles," later "a stroke, short line" (1589), from M.Fr. trait, from L. tractus "draft, drawing, drawing out," later "line drawn, feature," from pp. stem of trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (1)). Sense of "particular feature, distinguishing quality" is first recorded 1752, from meaning "line, streak, feature" (1561), which is common to Eng., Fr. and L.