die Eigenschaft
Translation
property, characteristic, quality, feature
Examples
Ehrlichkeit ist eine gute Eigenschaft.
Honesty is a good quality.
Jedes Material hat spezifische Eigenschaften.
Every material has specific properties.
Er handelte in seiner Eigenschaft als Vorgesetzter.
He acted in his capacity as a supervisor.
Grammar Patterns
a property/quality of sb./sth. ((et3)) Every plant has its own properties.
Similar Words
Synonyms: Merkmal (feature), Charakterzug (character trait), Qualität (quality)
Etymology
From 'eigen' (own) + '-schaft' (a suffix indicating state or quality, like '-ship' or '-ness'). It literally means 'own-ness', the inherent quality of something.
Memory Tips
Think of it as the 'shape' ('-schaft') that is 'one's own' ('eigen'). It's what defines a person or thing.