feature

[ fee-cher ]

noun

1. a prominent or conspicuous part or characteristic:

   Tall buildings were a new feature on the skyline.

2. something offered as a special attraction:

   This model has several added features.

3. Also called feature film. the main motion picture in a movie program:

   What time is the feature?

4. any part of the face, as the nose, chin, or eyes:

   prominent features.

5. features, the face; countenance:

   to compose one's features for the photographers.

6. the form or cast of the face:

   delicate of feature.

7. a column, cartoon, etc., appearing regularly in a newspaper or magazine.
8. feature story.
9. Archaic. make, form, or shape.

verb (used with object)

, fea·tured, fea·tur·ing.

1. to be a feature or distinctive mark of:

   It was industrial expansion that featured the last century.

2. to make a feature of; give prominence to:

   to feature a story or picture in a newspaper.

3. to delineate the main characteristics of; depict; outline.
4. Informal. to conceive of; imagine; fancy:

   He couldn't quite feature himself as a bank president.

5. Older Use. to resemble in features; favor.

verb (used without object)

, fea·tured, fea·tur·ing.

1. to play a major part.

feature

/ ˈfiːtʃə /

noun

1. any one of the parts of the face, such as the nose, chin, or mouth
2. a prominent or distinctive part or aspect, as of a landscape, building, book, etc
3. the principal film in a programme at a cinema
4. an item or article appearing regularly in a newspaper, magazine, etc

   a gardening feature

5. Also calledfeature story a prominent story in a newspaper, etc

   a feature on prison reform

6. a programme given special prominence on radio or television as indicated by attendant publicity
7. an article offered for sale as a special attraction, as in a large retail establishment
8. archaic.
   general form or make-up
9. linguistics a quality of a linguistic unit at some level of description

   grammatical feature

   semantic feature

verb

1. tr to have as a feature or make a feature of
2. to give prominence to (an actor, famous event, etc) in a film or (of an actor, etc) to have prominence in a film
3. informal.
   tr to imagine; consider

   I can't feature that happening

Other Words From

• trans·fea·ture verb (used with object) transfeatured transfeaturing
• un·der·fea·ture noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of feature¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English feture, from Anglo-French, Middle French faiture, from Latin factūra “formation, manufacture.” See fact, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of feature¹

C14: from Anglo-French feture , from Latin factūra a making, from facere to make

Synonym Study

Feature, characteristic, peculiarity refer to a distinctive trait of an individual or of a class. Feature suggests an outstanding or marked property that attracts attention: Complete harmony was a feature of the convention. Characteristic means a distinguishing mark or quality (or one of such) always associated in one's mind with a particular person or thing: Defiance is one of his characteristics. Peculiarity means that distinct or unusual characteristic that marks off an individual in the class to which he, she, or it belongs: A blue-black tongue is a peculiarity of the chow chow.

Example Sentences

The Leicester pair have yet to feature in the Autumn Nations Series but come straight into the line-up in place of Ben Spencer and George Furbank.

From BBC

He has complained about military recruitment ads that feature diverse service members, arguing that the threat of being exposed to different kinds of people would scare off "guys in Kentucky and Colorado and Ohio."

From Salon

To combat the onslaught, the site’s Community Notes feature acts as the law—but it’s an illusion of control.

From Slate

“See, there’s a whole part of my life that nobody knows about,” Manson is heard saying in one of the tapes, which feature in a new documentary series Making Manson.

From BBC

Neville previously won an Oscar for 20 Feet From Stardom - a documentary about the forgotten lives of backing singers who feature on some of rock's biggest songs.

From BBC

Related Words

• aspect
• character
• component
• detail
• element
• factor
• ingredient
• item
• quality
• trait