弁べん別べつ的てき素そ性せい

noun

distinctive feature

Technical term in linguistics, especially phonology, referring to a minimal contrastive unit such as [±voice] or [±nasal].

• 音おん韻いん論ろんでは、弁べん別べつ的てき素そ性せいによって音おん素そが区く別べつされる。

  In phonology, phonemes are distinguished by distinctive features.