What term describes a heritable feature?

A heritable feature refers to a specific characteristic or quality that can be passed down from one generation to another. This characteristic is known as a trait. Traits can manifest in various forms, such as physical attributes (e.g., eye color, height) or behavioral characteristics. They are determined by the underlying genetic makeup of an organism, but the term "trait" specifically highlights the observable characteristics that arise due to the influence of genes and the environment.

In contrast, alleles represent different versions of a gene that can influence a trait, while phenotype refers to the actual expressed characteristics of an organism resulting from both genotype and environmental influences. Genotype, on the other hand, is the genetic constitution of an organism, encompassing all the alleles present. Thus, the term that encompasses heritable features in a way that emphasizes their manifestation is trait.