lineament
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe a distinguishing quality, but they differ in register and scope. 'Trait' is the most neutral and everyday — you might say someone's kindness is a lovely trait. 'Characteristic' is slightly more formal and factual: it describes a feature that is typical, whether positive or negative. 'Attribute' often appears in professional or analytical writing, implying a quality that belongs innately to someone or something. 'Hallmark' is the most emphatic, suggesting the feature is so distinctive that it functions almost like a stamp of identity — for example, clear storytelling is the hallmark of a great novelist. 'Lineament' shares the meaning of these four but is far more formal and literary; it carries a tone of careful observation, as if the speaker is reading the subject's nature the way one reads lines on a page.
Common collocations
Etymology
From Latin 'lineamentum', meaning 'a line, a stroke, or a feature', itself from 'linea' (a line). The word entered English in the 15th century to describe the lines and contours of the face. By the 17th century, it had broadened to refer to any distinguishing feature — not just physical but also of character or personality.