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inherited - 2 dictionary results

in⋅her⋅it

  [in-her-it]
Use inherited in a Sentence
–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 its predecessors.
3. to receive (a genetic character) 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)
6. to take or receive property or the like by virtue of being heir to it.
7. to receive qualities, powers, duties, etc., as by inheritance (fol. by from).
8. to have succession as heir.
Origin:
1275–1325; ME en(h)erit(i)en < MF enheriter < LL inhērēditāre to make heir. See in- 3 , hereditary
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To inherited
in·her·it   (ĭn-hěr'ĭt)   
v.   in·her·it·ed, in·her·it·ing, in·her·its

v.   tr.
    1. To receive (property or a title, for example) from an ancestor by legal succession or will.
    2. To receive by bequest or as a legacy.
  2. To receive or take over from a predecessor: The new administration inherited the economic problems of the last four years.
  3. Biology To receive (a characteristic) from one's parents by genetic transmission.
  4. To gain (something) as one's right or portion.
v.   intr.
To hold or take possession of an inheritance.

[Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, to make heir to, from Late Latin inhērēditāre, to inherit : Latin in-, in; see in-2 + Late Latin hērēditāre, to inherit (from Latin hērēs, hērēd-, heir; see ghē- in Indo-European roots).]
in·her'i·tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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