Which of the following best defines a trait?

A trait is best defined as an observable characteristic, which refers to any distinguishable feature or quality of an organism. This can include physical attributes such as height, color, or shape, as well as behavioral traits. These characteristics are determined by the organism's genetic makeup and can be influenced by environmental factors.

Traits can manifest in both dominant and recessive forms, which means that options focusing only on recessive or only on dominant phenotypes are too narrow and do not encompass the full spectrum of traits present in a population. Additionally, while alleles are associated with traits, defining a trait solely as a type of allele would not capture the broader definition that includes observable characteristics that may arise from various combinations of alleles.