heritage

American  

[her-i-tij] / ˈhɛr ɪ tɪdʒ /

noun

heritages plural

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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Synonym Usage

See inheritance.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• heritages
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heritage heritages

Unlike virtual dark tourism that allows for “armchair travel” to real-world dark heritage sites, there is no physical location anchoring the Backrooms nor any historical tragedy to commemorate.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

"Climate change is what kills, what destroys our villages and our natural and cultural heritage," civil protection chief Virginia Barcones told Spanish radio.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Digitizing all this material in its original language and then translating it into all modern languages would unlock this heritage for global scholarship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Working at specialist car restoration business Tolman, Priestley, 29, has embarked on a "heritage vehicle technician" apprenticeship.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

It seemed to him that he was unique, having such a heritage.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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

Two MPs have announced their marriage with a wedding that they said celebrated their "two different heritages".

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 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 will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages."

From The Ordinance of Covenanting by Cunningham, John

Related Words

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