definition of the word inherit

Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“‘make heir’”).

• IPA: /ɪn'hɛrɪt/

  Rhymes: -ɛrɪt

to inherit (third-person singular simple present inherits, present participle inheriting, simple past and past participle inherited)

1. (transitive) To take possession of as a right (especially in Biblical translations)

   Your descendants will inherit the earth.

2. (transitive) To receive (property or a title etc), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death

   After Grandad died, I inherited the house.

3. (transitive) (biology) To receive a characteristic from one's ancestors by genetic transmission

   Let's hope the baby inherits his mother's looks and his father's intelligence.

4. (transitive) To derive from people or conditions previously in force

   This country has inherited an invidious class culture.

5. (intransitive) to come into an inheritance

   Lucky old Daniel – his parents were both killed, and he's inherited.

• inheritable
• inheritance
• inherited
• inheritor

Definition from Wiktionary Content avaible with GNU Free Documentation License

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