Features and characteristics are the easiest gateways to describe things you observe or study around you. These facets commonly used to refer qualities, specialities, & identities of things we describe or explain. So, let’s know the difference between features and characteristics in detail.
It is worthy to mention that both features and characteristics are so effective tools to break down things in question in order to better understand. First of all, let’s begin with the meaning of “Features”.
Understanding “Features” meaning and examples and importance
In the simple words, features are nothing but the totality of important part of a product, animal, or anything. It may include total important identical signs and qualities of a product, things etc.
Simple useful examples of Features
Suppose if we are describing about a big cat or tiger as examples, then its major features would be like –
- Sharp Canine
- Powerful claws
- Colourful strips, and
- Brilliant eyesight.
All the above qualities and identities help us to get better insight about the tiger compare to other animals.
Explanation of “Characteristics” facet
Generally, features are common signs or identities of a thing you observe compare to characteristics.
But, characteristics are certain special qualities of a thing or animal which make that animal or thing different from others. Especially, we may call it some unique aspects.
Simply, we term it as unique qualities which only belong to that animal or thing for identical purpose.
To make it more clear, let’s elaborate earlier example of tiger.
- Unlike many other animals, tiger is a solitary animal.
- It is the most powerful top carnivorous among all species.
- Besides, its razor sharp teeth and knife like claws are the most important characteristic features.
Simply, the most important features are called – characteristics.
What does “Nature” of a thing mean?
Apart from difference between features and characteristics, “Nature” facet represents the natural qualities or abilities of thing or animal.
In respect to tiger, it is a region specific top carnivorous animal.
It means that to survive, tiger needs specific type of climate and pray base, otherwise, it cannot sustain or survive.
- As an example – tigers are region specific, solitary, and rare endangered species in the world.
- They are also heat sensitive, night and ambush hunter in the big cat family.
Frankly speaking, these words are highly confusing to grasp. Sometimes, theirs overlapping nature make things more difficult for fresh learners,
In layman’s language, features are everything that makes thing you observe. It means totality of things.
On the other hand, characteristics are some important features that are unique to that particular things. Further, critical characteristics are most important features that makes the thing unique and special.
Features and salient features
Features are the general aspects, identities, elements, or specific parts of things or person you observe.
Salient features are the most important among common. Both features and salient features and important to study for the descriptive writing.
Facets are the important constituents or qualities that make a thing as a whole. Without understanding the totality of given thing, it is too difficult to reach at the meaningful results.
Description and meaning of features and salient feature
Features are important facets widely used in the descriptive expressions. Simply, features are general identities, elements, or parts of any objects or things. But, salient features are much more than mere features. These are the most attractive, noticeable things of an object.
Salient means easily noticeable or difficult to avoid. We easily notice or focus on such vivid things.
Explaining features as a basic facets
Do you know the latest iPhone? It is really awesome as it has more functions than earlier one like more storage, ram, advanced camera, design, etc. In terms of advertising, all these functions are called features of iPhone.
Features of iphone as an example
- Beautiful display
- Flat-edged design
- Great battery life
- Fast and powerful chip
- Advanced dual camera, etc.
As I mentioned earlier that features are noticeable identities, elements, or parts of an object or thing. It means that their nature is physical, or can be observed as well as experienced.
Exercising collectivity instead selectivity for features
When we talk about the topographical features, then we used to imagine the various types of landforms which make the geographical term “Topography”. They may be –
- Mountains, hills,
- Plateaus, plains,
- Valleys, peaks, etc.
These landforms are the examples of topographical features. Here, we usually ink down totality of landforms without deliberate selection.
Judgement depends on deliberate cognition
People often exercise deliberate cognitive process when they make judgement about something. Just describing features of any object doesn’t appeal for judgemental decision making.
Salient features and marketing goal
In market, when a company launches a product, that company used to highlights most attractive parts of the product in question. Such attractive parts, functions, or identities are termed as salient.
Such features are the most attractive parts or functions that naturally stimulates the response from receiver.
As short summary of difference between features and characteristics
For clarity, features are common identities, elements, or parts of thing or object.
Whereas, salient features are attractive aspects that stimulates response from receiver. For example, online shopping companies always highlights the salient or attractive features of products to lure customers.
So, these are an effective means either to convince people or easily get insight of something.
Characteristics and characteristics features
“Characteristics and characteristic features” are frequently used to describe the most important facets of things or objects. Mostly, these terms focus on the comparative uniqueness or distinct identities of things.
By the means of characteristics, it is possible to create a picture in the mind. For more, let’s know the terms in precisely.
Meaning and examples of characteristics and characteristic features
Convectional rainfall is a major characteristic feature of equatorial natural regions. It means that the predominant nature of convectional rain is the major Identity of equatorial natural region.
Simply, characteristics or major characteristic features means means facets that make thing in question unique from all.
In this example, “tropical and subtropical oceanic regions are mainly characterized by tropical cyclones” it is necessary to be a tropical regions to have tropical cyclones.
In both statements, “Characteristic” word is used to highlight speciality or identities of the regions. Herein, you will understand the meaning and difference between characteristics and characteristic features.
Usages and meaning of term “Characteristic”
The denotative meaning of “characteristic” is unique or distinct identities of a thing or object that we describe.
In short, that identities make that thing in question different from others. So, it becomes comparatively unique.
If you consider the second statement of first paragraph, you could easily recognize the number of tropical cyclones that only originates in the tropical oceanic regions.
That’s why these regions are mainly recognized for that phenomenon comparatively others.
Difference between Characteristic and major Characteristic
Simply, “characteristic term” differentiate one thing or object from others by its distinct identities or unique speciality. For this to happen, competitive judgement is essential.
“Major characteristic” is used to make the unique or distinct identity more noticeable.
When there are more than one characteristics of a thing, then to mention the most noticeable one, major characteristic term is preferred.
What does Characteristic features mean?
But, “characteristic features” are different from the “major characteristic”. Major characteristic is used to highlight most important characteristic of a thing among many. On the other hand, “characteristic features” point out the unique features of a thing we describe.
In other words, “characteristic or major characteristics” are used either to describe distinct or unique identities or most important aspect of the thing in question. Whereas, “characteristic features” is preferred to highlight unique or special features or identities of a given thing.
This is all about the features and characteristics, features and salient features, characteristics and Major characteristics.
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