heritage

noun

her·​i·​tage ˈher-ə-tij 

ˈhe-rə-

1

: property that descends to an heir

2

a

: something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy, inheritance

proud of her Chinese heritage

a rich heritage of folklore

The battlefields are part of our heritage and should be preserved.

b

: tradition

the party's heritage of secularism

3

: something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth : birthright

the heritage of natural freedom was long since cast away

—V. L. Parrington

Synonyms

• tradition
• rule
• values

Examples of heritage in a Sentence

hospitality is a cherished Southern heritage

this farm is my heritage from my father, as it was for him from his father

Recent Examples on the Web

While Park Circus has long worked with the Lumière Film Festival – an eight-day celebration of cinema old and new – and its MIFF, the world’s biggest market dedicated to heritage film, this edition marks the first time Park Circus is officially partnering with the market. —Lise Pedersen, Variety, 12 Oct. 2025

The holiday affirms indigenous heritage, shifting the focus away from honoring Europeans who brought harm to Native peoples, historians note. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 12 Oct. 2025

At Milan Fashion Week last month, the dagger heel was in the spotlight once again as the label doubled down on its heritage. —Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2025

Columbus Day, celebrated on the second Monday in October, has been a federal holiday since 1892 and is celebrated across the country with parades that highlight Italian-American heritage and pride, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English heritage, eritage, borrowed from Anglo-French, from heriter "to inherit, make an heir" (going back to Late Latin hērēditāre "to leave as an inheritance, inherit, make an heir," from Latin hērēd-, hērēs heir entry 1 + -itāre, verb suffix) + -age -age

Note: The Latin verb suffix -itāre normally has repetitive or frequentative value (cf. hesitate, meditate, palpitate), not factitive or causative value, so in this instance it may be of distinct origin. A possible model is the adjective hērēditārius (see hereditary), in the formation of which a stem hērēdit- appears to have been extracted from the noun hērēditāt-, hērēditās "succession to an heir, inheritance," by construing the suffix as -āt-, -ās (or, alternatively, *hērēditātārius was shortened by haplology to hērēditārius).

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

heritage

noun

her·​i·​tage ˈher-ət-ij 

1

: property that is handed down to an heir

2

: something acquired from the past

a rich heritage of folklore