Rasgos

Rasgos is the plural of rasgo, a Spanish term for any distinguishing attribute or characteristic of an object, organism, or system. Used in science and everyday language, rasgos describe properties that help identify, describe, or compare things. They can be qualitative (present or absent) or quantitative (measured on a scale).

In biology and genetics, rasgos refer to phenotypic traits—the observable expression of a genetic makeup in interaction with the environment. They can be simple (single-gene) or complex (polygenic) and are central to taxonomy, evolution, breeding, and the study of variation.

In psychology and the social sciences, rasgos denote stable patterns of behavior or thought, i.e., personality traits. They are assessed with standardized tools and are intended to be cross-situational, though culture and context can influence their expression and interpretation.

In linguistics and data science, rasgos describe features used in analysis. In phonology, rasgos include voicing, place and manner of articulation. In machine learning, rasgos (features) are the inputs used by algorithms to model and predict outcomes.

The meaning of rasgo varies by field; together, rasgos emphasize the diversity of characteristics used to characterize, compare, or categorize subjects, phenomena, or data.