heritage

[her-i-tij]

noun

1. something that is handed down from the past, as a tradition.

   a national heritage of honor, pride, and courage.

2. something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion.

   a heritage of poverty and suffering.

   Synonyms: patrimony, estate

3. something reserved for one.

   the heritage of the righteous.

4. Law.

   1. something that has been or may be inherited by legal descent or succession.

   2. any property, especially land, that devolves by right of inheritance.

adjective

1. 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.

2. noting or relating to an older, traditional breed of animal or plant.

   raising pure-breed heritage hogs.

heritage

/ ˈhɛrɪtɪdʒ /

noun

1. something inherited at birth, such as personal characteristics, status, and possessions

2. anything that has been transmitted from the past or handed down by tradition

3. 1. the evidence of the past, such as historical sites, buildings, and the unspoilt natural environment, considered collectively as the inheritance of present-day society

   2. ( as modifier; cap. as part of name )

      Bannockburn Heritage Centre

4. 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

5. law any property, esp land, that by law has descended or may descend to an heir

6. Bible

   1. the Israelites regarded as belonging inalienably to God

   2. the land of Canaan regarded as God's gift to the Israelites

Word History and Origins

Origin of heritage¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Middle French, from herit(er) “to inherit” + -age -age; heir

Word History and Origins

Origin of heritage¹

C13: from Old French; see _heir

Synonym Study

See inheritance.

Example Sentences

Adler, who is Jewish, wrote in a piece for the Nation that his grandfather joined the Parisian resistance against the Nazis, and that he draws from his heritage in his rationale for joining the flotilla.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Threets, who got his start as a Bay Area librarian, tells The Times that because he was home-schooled, he was able to learn about his heritage mostly through books.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Prof Charles Knight, chief executive of the hospital, said the renewal work stood "as a lasting legacy of our recent 900th anniversary, connecting centuries of medical excellence with our rich heritage".

Read more on BBC

The bags reflect the artisans' skills, time, and heritage, for which they receive a fair wage, she says.

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“It was important for us to ensure that their cultural heritage was reflected each evening with its own course in Table for Six.”

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• ancestry 
• culture 
• custom 
• legacy 
• right 
• tradition