noun
inheritance
ihn-HEH-rih-tuhns
noun
1
Money, property, or possessions passed to someone after a person's death.
"He used his inheritance to pay off the mortgage."
2
A trait passed down biologically from parent to offspring.
"The disease follows a pattern of genetic inheritance."
How to Use Inheritance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhat gets passed down to you — most often money or property, but also genes or traits.
Common pairings
receive an inheritance
genetic inheritance
Word Forms
inheritances plural
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Etymology
From Anglo-Norman enheritaunce, related to "inherit."