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

   semantic feature

   grammatical 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

Publishers’ biggest differentiating features for advertisers are their audiences and the context within their ads will sit, said Alessandro De Zanche, founder of media consultancy ADZ Strategies.

From Digiday

Along with that comes systemwide picture-in-picture support for videos—another feature that has made its way from iPadOS—and a number of significant improvements to Messages, Maps, and other applications, as well as a new live translation app.

From Ars Technica

The feature, known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, was designed to make the Max feel exactly the same to pilots as the earlier family of 737s known as the Next Generation.

From Fortune

Since then, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Instagram and Twitch have added watch party features.

From Digiday

Apple also debuted the Apple Watch SE, a lower-end model with fewer features that starts at $279.

From Fortune

Grindr introduced the feature themselves in October the same year and called it ‘tribes.’

From The Daily Beast

Jourdan Dunn is the first sole black woman to feature on a British ‘Vogue’ cover in 12 years.

From The Daily Beast

Bad weather is a feature of hundreds of flights across the world every day.

From The Daily Beast

Common sense is not a just a normative judgment about wisdom, but a structural feature of any functioning organization.

From The Daily Beast

The brand logo turned out to feature a graceful archer on horseback, in a Tatar national costume, poised to shoot his arrow.

From The Daily Beast

This is a feature by means of which it is always possible to distinguish the Great Horsetail from any other species.

From Project Gutenberg

Each is surrounded by a gelatinous capsule, which is its distinctive feature (Fig. 9).

From Project Gutenberg

He seemed to know right where to look, which was another feature of the play that I didn't sabe at the time.

From Project Gutenberg

In dramatic interpretation the voice is a much more significant feature relatively than is the detail of gesture in pantomime.

From Project Gutenberg

My coup-d'œil assured me that it was practicable to give to this feature the character of a projecting under-jaw.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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

More About Feature

What is a basic definition of feature?

A feature is a distinctive trait or a special attraction. Feature can also mean to give special attention to something. The word feature has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

A feature is a unique quality or characteristic that something has.

• Real-life examples: Elaborately colored tail feathers are peacocks’ most well-known feature. Earth has many features, such as a particular atmosphere, abundance of water, and temperature that make it able to sustain life. Platypuses have many features that are unusual in mammals, such as a bill and the ability to lay eggs.
• Used in a sentence: My house is really boring and doesn’t have any cool features that set it apart from every other house in the neighborhood. 

Feature can also mean a special attraction or enticing quality that something has. Not all features are necessarily useful and, especially in advertising, they are often added to amaze rather than perform a useful function.

• Real-life examples: Smartphones often have many features, such as Bluetooth technology, a camera, and many other additions that entice customers to buy it. People who buy cars are often interested in extra features, such as rear-view cameras, automated steering, and heated seats.
• Used in a sentence: I always go for cameras with lots of neat features, like custom white balancing.

As a verb, feature means to draw special attention to something or to shine the spotlight on it. If something is featured, it is mentioned first, given the most time, advertised most heavily, or invested the most effort into.

• Real-life examples: Movie advertising often features a big star on posters and in commercials even if the person is barely in the movie. The main event fight is usually featured by boxing or mixed martial arts promoters because it will attract the most ticket buyers.
• Used in a sentence: I really like this song because it features the drummer the most.

Where does feature come from?

The first records of feature come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Latin factūra, meaning “formation or manufacture.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to feature?

• featured (adjective, past tense verb)
• featureless (adjective)
• transfeature (verb)
• underfeature (noun)

What are some synonyms for feature?

• characteristic
• trait
• aspect
• highlight
• headline
• spotlight
• star

What are some words that share a root or word element with feature? 

• feature story
• feature-length
• double feature

What are some words that often get used in discussing feature?

• unique
• function
• attraction
• eye-catching
• movie
• facial

How is feature used in real life?

Feature is a common word that means a special trait something has or means to spotlight something.

Not sure how I feel about the Apple Watch. Yes, some very cool features, but nothing your smartphone can't already do.

— jacksfilms (@jacksfilms) September 9, 2014

Odd feature of walk-through trains: if people are singing, you can hear them from the other end. It’s like having the radio on quiet.

— Mike Brown (@mikearildbrown) December 16, 2017

Today’s show features a special message on behalf of everyone in the Jeopardy! family. 💜

Alex taped shows through December 25th, 2020. They will air as he intended, in his honor.

— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 9, 2020

Try using feature!

True or False?

If something is featured, it is ignored or hidden away.