heritage
Americannoun
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heritages
plural
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something that is handed down from the past, as a tradition.
a national heritage of honor, pride, and courage.
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something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion.
a heritage of poverty and suffering.
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something reserved for one.
the heritage of the righteous.
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Law.
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something that has been or may be inherited by legal descent or succession.
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any property, especially land, that devolves by right of inheritance.
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adjective
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noting or relating to a product, place, etc., that evokes a nostalgic sense of tradition or history.
visitors to a heritage site in the Middle East.
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noting or relating to an older, traditional breed of animal or plant.
raising pure-breed heritage hogs.
noun
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something inherited at birth, such as personal characteristics, status, and possessions
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anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition
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the evidence of the past, such as historical sites, buildings, and the unspoilt natural environment, considered collectively as the inheritance of present-day society
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( as modifier; cap. as part of name )
Bannockburn Heritage Centre
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something that is reserved for a particular person or group or the outcome of an action, way of life, etc
the sea was their heritage
the heritage of violence
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law any property, esp land, that by law has descended or may descend to an heir
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Bible
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the Israelites regarded as belonging inalienably to God
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the land of Canaan regarded as God's gift to the Israelites
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Synonym Usage
See inheritance.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heritage
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Middle French, from herit(er) “to inherit” + -age -age; see heir
Explanation
Heritage can refer to practices or characteristics that are passed down through the years, from one generation to the next. Researching your family tree would help you gain a sense of your personal heritage. Heritage is often used to discuss a cultural aspect or tradition that has been passed down through generations. For example, one might speak of an area’s "rich musical heritage.” Heritage can also refer to a person's ethnic or cultural background. In a legal sense, heritage is property that you inherit, like a silver teapot your great aunt Sally left to you.
Vocabulary lists containing heritage
It's All in the Family
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"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Most of the students were darkly complected and apparently of South Asian heritage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
The challenges of trying to limit the scale of destruction and looting of cultural heritage are huge.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
For a lot of consumers, the Toyota heritage will represent a net good.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
“For generations, our communities have used lowriders to tell our stories, celebrate our heritage, and create something beautiful out of the streets we call home.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Trey wore a black T-shirt with white letters: heritage is lit. what s yours?
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The stockpile, which has since risen in value, adds Wyoming to a growing cohort of states, including some with mining heritages, looking to add precious metal to their investment portfolios.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
"It's not just Muslims - there are going to be kids of other heritages who are inspired by Djed."
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
“Only in America,” Harris said, was it possible for two people of such different backgrounds and heritages to join together to make it “all the way” to the White House.
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2024
And yet Native music, kaleidoscopically varied across the country and its many tribes and heritages, remains only rarely heard, and so only vaguely understood and appreciated, by non-Natives.
From New York Times ● May 29, 2024
I have been clothed with no capacity to talk of wills, or heritages, or your cousin.
From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 20 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
