Gray.
3. That which makes, or helps to make, anything such as it is; anything
belonging to a subject, or predicable of it; distinguishing property,
characteristic, or attribute; peculiar power, capacity, or virtue;
distinctive trait; as, the tones of a flute differ from those of a
violin in quality; the great quality of a statesman.
Qualities, in metaphysics, are primary or secondary. Primary are those
essential to the existence, and even the conception, of the thing, as
of matter or spirit Secondary are those not essential to such a
conception.