Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for inheritable. Search instead for nonheritable.
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

After decades of research, gene therapies have begun reshaping the treatment of cancers and rare inheritable diseases with medicines that can modify or correct mutations embedded in people’s genetic code.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 22, 2022

Sudden, inheritable changes were naturally selected, which included the fight or flight behavior.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Hair-Shape.—Again, straight and curly hair seem to be distinct inheritable characters.

From Being Well-Born An Introduction to Eugenics by Guyer, Michael F.