Growth cannot be taken as a defining property or feature of living organisms because

The correct option is "non living things also grow".

Step-by-Step Explanation:
1. Understanding Defining Property: A defining property or feature of living organisms is a characteristic that is found in all living beings without exception, and is completely absent in non-living things.
2. Analyzing Growth in Living Beings: Living organisms exhibit growth, which is generally an increase in mass and number of cells, occurring from inside the organism (intrinsic growth).
3. Analyzing Growth in Non-Living Things: Non-living objects like mountains, sand dunes, and crystals also grow. However, their growth is due to the accumulation of material on their outer surface (extrinsic growth).
4. Conclusion: Since growth is a process shown by both living and non-living things (albeit through different mechanisms), growth alone cannot be used as an exclusive, defining criterion to distinguish living organisms from non-living matter.