an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone

• the quality of mercy is not strained"--Shakespeare

• quality

a degree or grade of excellence or worth

• the quality of students has risen
• an executive of low caliber

• quality
• caliber
• calibre

a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something

• each town has a quality all its own
• the radical character of our demands

• quality
• character
• lineament

(music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound)

• the timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely
• the muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet

• timbre
• timber
• quality
• tone

high social status

• a man of quality

• quality

of superior grade

• choice wines
• prime beef
• prize carnations
• quality paper
• select peaches

• choice
• prime
• prize
• quality
• select

of high social status

• people of quality
• a quality family

• quality