hereditary

From Latin hērēditārius, from hērēditās (“inheritance”), from hērēs (“heir”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /həˈɹɛdɪt(ə)ɹi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /həˈɹɛdɪˌtɛɹi/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: he‧red‧i‧ta‧ry

hereditary (comparative more hereditary, superlative most hereditary)

1. Passed on as an inheritance, by last will or intestate.
2. Of a title, honor or right: legally granted to somebody's descendant after that person's death.

   Duke is a hereditary title which was created in Norman times.

3. Of a person: holding a legally hereditary title or rank.

   hereditary rulers

4. Of a disease or trait: passed from a parent to offspring in the genes.

   Haemophilia is hereditary in his family.

5. (mathematics) Of a ring: such that all submodules of projective modules over the ring are also projective.

• inhereditary

• nonhereditary

• see heir

hereditary (plural hereditaries)

1. A hereditary ruler; a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.

• congenital

• erythraeid