inherit

[in-her-it]

verb (used with object)

to take or receive (property, a right, a title, etc.) by succession or will, as an heir: to inherit the family business.

to receive as if by succession from predecessors: the problems the new government inherited from its predecessors.

to receive (a genetic character) by the transmission of hereditary factors.

to succeed (a person) as heir.

to receive as one's portion; come into possession of: to inherit his brother's old clothes.

verb (used without object)

to take or receive property or the like by virtue of being heir to it.

to receive qualities, powers, duties, etc., as by inheritance (followed by from).

to have succession as heir.

Origin of inherit

1275–1325; Middle English en(h)erit(i)en < Middle French enheriter < Late Latin inhērēditāre to make heir. See in-³, hereditary

Related formshalf-in·her·it·ed, adjectivenon·in·her·it·ed, adjectivepre·in·her·it, verb (used with object)qua·si-in·her·it·ed, adjectivere·in·her·it, verbun·in·her·it·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for inheriting

derive, receive, acquire, obtain, succeed, accede, get

Examples from the Web for inheriting

Contemporary Examples of inheriting

But our democratic prejudice against origins and breeding makes us deeply skeptical even of inheriting life goals.
Liam Neeson Loves Horses and Nietzsche
James Poulos
April 16, 2014
Speaking from his home in Tryon, N.C., Reid, 63, discussed the challenges that came with inheriting such a huge project.
The Final Roar: Paul Reid on Finishing William Manchester’s Life of Churchill
Kevin Canfield
November 16, 2012
He also is inheriting a shrinking staff hurt by layoffs and furloughs.
USA Today Takes Digital Gamble in Hiring David Callaway as New Editor
Howard Kurtz
July 16, 2012
And in much of the world laws that bar women from owning land or inheriting property keep women from accessing financial services.
Hillary: Global Economy Depends on Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
September 16, 2011
Which surprised even me, since I figured if there's anything Republicans ought to be good at, it's inheriting things.
Karl Rove’s Gift to the Dems
Paul Begala
June 30, 2011

Historical Examples of inheriting

Let there be no inheriting of rights but from such a parent.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
"And which doubtless some other had calculated on inheriting," said the youth.
The Fortunes Of Glencore
Charles James Lever
How, then, is he to blame mankind for inheriting "sinfulness" from their first parents?
Elsie Venner
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Nobody ever heard of inheriting anything but money when I was a girl.
Virginia
Ellen Glasgow
It struck him that his chance of inheriting was not so very obscure, after all.
Rhoda Fleming, Complete
George Meredith

British Dictionary definitions for inheriting

inherit

verb -its, -iting or -ited

to receive (property, a right, title, etc) by succession or under a will

(intr) to succeed as heir

(tr) to possess (a characteristic) through genetic transmission

(tr) to receive (a position, attitude, property, etc) from a predecessor

Derived Formsinherited, adjectiveinheritor, nouninheritress or inheritrix, fem n

Word Origin for inherit

C14: from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhērēditāre to appoint an heir, from Latin hērēs heir

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

Word Origin and History for inheriting

inherit

c.1300, "to make (someone) an heir," from Old French enheriter "make heir, appoint as heir," from Late Latin inhereditare "to appoint as heir," from Latin in- "in" (see in- (2)) + hereditare "to inherit," from heres (genitive heredis) "heir" (see heredity). Sense of "receive inheritance" arose mid-14c.; original sense is retained in disinherit. Related: Inherited; inheriting.

inheriting in Medicine

inherit

[ĭn-hĕr′ĭt]

v.

To receive a trait from one's parents by genetic transmission.