"Elle ressemble trait pour trait à sa mère."

Translation: She is the spitting image of her mother.

[riclage]

I know it is idiomatic but what could be a literal translation of "trait pour trait"?

[Sitesurf]

"les traits du visage" are the facial features. So "trait pour trait" is like "word for word", if you want.

[maverickpl]

Is there a reason "trait" (the english word) isn't used for "trait" (the french word). In this case, it seems like a close approximation of what the word means.