Main Entry: he·red·i·ty

Pronunciation: \hə-ˈre-də-tē\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle French heredité, from Latin hereditat-, hereditas, from hered-, heres heir — more at heir

Date: circa 1540

1 a : inheritance b : tradition
2 a : the sum of the characteristics and potentialities genetically derived from one's ancestors b : the transmission of such qualities from ancestor to descendant through the genes