inherited

American  

[in-her-i-tid] / ɪnˈhɛr ɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. received from or as if from one’s predecessors.

   Their wealth is from inherited properties, mostly through the estate of their mother’s parents.

   For the novelist Henry James, history, tradition, precedence, and established forms constituted the inherited wisdom of civilization.

2. received through genetic transmission.

   the family’s inherited trait of straight blond hair;

   kidney problems symptomatic of an inherited disorder.

3. Baseball. (of a base runner) allowed on base by a previous pitcher.

   The unlucky reliever balked, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch, allowed an inherited runner to score, and got only one out.

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Other Word Forms

• half-inherited
  adjective
• noninherited
  adjective
• quasi-inherited
  adjective
• uninherited
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of inherited

First recorded in 1795–1800; inherit ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Inherited means "handed down to you by your family." If your inherited traits include your red hair, freckles, and stubbornness, it means older people in your family also have them. Something you receive from your parents, grandparents, or other family members is inherited, whether it's a personality trait or a house in the Catskills. Some things are inherited genetically, like blue eyes, and others are inherited legally, like money or property you receive as an heir when someone dies. The Latin root is inhereditare, "to appoint as heir." The meaning changed in the 14th century to "receive, to be the heir."

Example Sentences

The findings suggest that early animals created the first blood cells by reusing genetic material inherited from ancient single-celled ancestors.

From Science Daily • May 27, 2026

When he died in 2013, Mayes, an only child, inherited the oil company, and the wealth that came with it.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

This week, Quentin Fottrell — the Moneyist — answered questions from a reader who apparently got incorrect information from an accountant about potential capital-gains taxes when selling an inherited home.

From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026

When Stephen Colbert inherited ‘The Late Show’ in 2015, it was during a golden age of late-night TV, and though it’s evolved since, the appetite from viewers remains.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

No one could deny she had inherited her strong chin and dimples from her father.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat