inheritance (n.)

late 14c., enheritaunce "fact of receiving by hereditary succession;" early 15c. as "that which is or may be inherited," from Anglo-French and Old French enheritaunce, from Old French enheriter "make heir, appoint as heir" (see inherit). Heritance "act of inheriting" is from mid-15c.

Entries linking to inheritance

inherit (v.)

c. 1300, "to make (someone) an heir" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French enheriter "make heir, attribute the right of inheretance to, appoint as heir," from Late Latin inhereditare "to appoint as heir," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + Latin hereditare "to inherit," from heres (genitive heredis) "heir" (see heredity).

Sense of "receive inheritance, get by succession as representative of the former possessor" is attested from mid-14c.; in Medieval Latin inhereditare also had taken on a sense "put in possession." Original sense is retained in disinherit. Related: Inherited; inheriting; inheritable.

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Definitions of inheritance

inheritance (n.)

hereditary succession to a title or an office or property;

Synonyms: heritage

inheritance (n.)

that which is inherited; a title or property or estate that passes by law to the heir on the death of the owner;

Synonyms: heritage

inheritance (n.)

(genetics) attributes acquired via biological heredity from the parents;

Synonyms: hereditary pattern

inheritance (n.)

any attribute or immaterial possession that is inherited from ancestors;

my only inheritance was my mother's blessing

Synonyms: heritage

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near inheritance

inharmonious

inhere

inherence

inherent

inherit

inheritance

inhesion

inhibit

inhibition

inhibitor

inhibitory