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View synonyms for

inherit

[ in-her-it ]

verb (used with object)

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

    to inherit the family business.

  2. to receive as if by succession from predecessors:

    the problems the new government inherited from the previous administration.

  3. to receive (a genetic character or trait) by the transmission of hereditary factors.
  4. to succeed (a person) as heir.
  5. to receive as one's portion; come into possession of:

    to inherit his brother's old clothes.



verb (used without object)

  1. to take or receive property or the like by virtue of being heir to it.
  2. to receive qualities, powers, duties, etc., as by inheritance (followed by from ).
  3. to have succession as heir.

inherit

/ ɪˈɛɪ /

verb

  1. to receive (property, a right, title, etc) by succession or under a will
  2. intr to succeed as heir
  3. tr to possess (a characteristic) through genetic transmission
  4. tr to receive (a position, attitude, property, etc) from a predecessor
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٰ, noun:feminine
  • ˈٴǰ, noun
  • ˈٱ, adjective
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Other Word Forms

  • ··· verb (used with object)
  • ··· verb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of inherit1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English en(h)erit(i)en, from Middle French enheriter, from Late Latin Գŧŧ徱 “to make heir”; in- 3, hereditary
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Word History and Origins

Origin of inherit1

C14: from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin Գŧŧ徱 to appoint an heir, from Latin ŧŧ heir
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"The system this Government inherited was high stakes for teachers but low information for parents, which is why we're removing single-word judgments and introducing school report cards".

From

The island on Scotland's west coast is part of lands once ruled by the Lord of the Isles - one of a number of Scottish titles William inherited from his father when Charles became King.

From

Once as close as siblings, these cousins are trying in their different ways to imagine a world that will allow them to discover themselves outside of inherited assumptions and oppressive hierarchies.

From

He has not simply been the beneficiary of the outstanding squad he inherited, he has added value with his tactical acumen.

From

He told Kuenssberg that Labour had "inherited a difficult situation" but the country was "beginning to see something of a turnaround", with falling NHS waiting lists and the first breakfast clubs opening in schools.

From

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inherentlyinheritable