Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

inheritable

American  
[in-her-i-tuh-buhl] / ɪnˈhɛr ɪ tə bəl /

adjective

  1. capable of being inherited.

  2. capable of inheriting; qualified to inherit.


inheritable British  
/ ɪnˈhɛrɪtəbəl /

adjective

  1. capable of being transmitted by heredity from one generation to a later one

  2. capable of being inherited

  3. rare capable of inheriting; having the right to inherit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • inheritability noun
  • inheritableness noun
  • inheritably adverb
  • noninheritability noun
  • noninheritable adjective
  • noninheritableness noun
  • uninheritability noun
  • uninheritable adjective

Etymology

Origin of inheritable

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French; in- 2, heritable

Compare meaning

How does inheritable compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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.

Scientists in Japan have identified a virus that selectively kills males — and it happens to be inheritable, creating generation upon generation of all females.

From New York Times • Nov. 6, 2023

The nation itself held on to the mineral rights of the land, granting each member an inheritable “headright” to the share of the nation’s mineral wealth.

From National Geographic • Sep. 15, 2023

With a genetic predisposition, the inheritable mutations are frequently found in DNA repair genes.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 10, 2023

Natural selection leads to a sudden inheritable change in the genome of the female elk, ensuring female elk with very high fat reserves to effectively carry out pregnancy.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

That lands in Wales shall be inheritable according to the English tenures and rules of descent.

From Commentaries on the Laws of England Book the First by Blackstone, William, Sir