qualités

Qualités is the plural of qualité in French. The term has multiple related meanings, including the inherent properties or characteristics that define a thing, the moral or personal attributes of a person, and the level of excellence attributed to a product, service, or process. In everyday usage, qualities often refer to positive traits in a person—such as honesty, patience, or creativity—or to desirable attributes in a product or organization, like reliability and performance.

Etymology and senses: Qualité comes from Latin qualitas and entered French via Old French cualité. The word has historically carried two broad senses: quality as a feature or property of something, and quality as virtue or merit. In philosophy, qualites can be discussed as properties of objects, while in consumer and business contexts the focus is usually on fitness for use and adherence to standards.

Usage in language and management: In modern French, the plural qualités is often used in discussions of people, emphasizing personal strengths; it is commonly contrasted with défauts (flaws). In business and manufacturing, quality-related terms operate at different levels, including assurance qualité (quality assurance) and contrôle qualité (quality control). The distinction between qualités (personal attributes) and compétences (skills or competencies) is common in HR and career discussions.

Examples and nuance: Qualités humaines include integrity, empathy, and adaptability; qualités professionnelles might cover diligence, punctuality, and teamwork. The phrase bonne qualité signals a high standard. Beyond people, the term also appears when assessing products or services, where qualitative aspects describe the nature of features rather than their quantity.