inheritance

in-her-i-tance · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    Money, property, or a title received from someone who has died.

  2. 2.

    The process of receiving genetic characteristics from parents.

  3. 3.

    Something handed down from predecessors; a tradition or legacy.

  4. 4.

    (computing) A mechanism by which a class acquires properties from a parent class.

Forms

plural: inheritances

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    inheritance tax — A tax paid on inherited property or money.

Related words

See also: heir, inherit, legacy
Synonyms: bequest, heritage, legacy

Etymology

From Old French enheritance, from enheriter ("to inherit"), from Late Latin inheritare.