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

a rich heritage of folklore

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

especially : the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation

proud of her Chinese heritage

b

: an established or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior

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 of heritage

• 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

Traces of their Under Canvas heritage are evident in the luxury tents and immersive nature experiences, but the Duseks have taken their passion for sustainable outdoor hospitality one step further. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Mar. 2026

The park spans 11 acres, with multiple gardens showcasing heritage plants, succulents, cacti, and herbs. —Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026

Khartoum, where the conflict first broke out in April 2023, contains four museums for antiquities and heritage, all within the line of fire. —Eissa Dafallah, NBC news, 8 Mar. 2026

Roozbeh Farahanipour, a former Iranian dissident who now lives in Los Angeles, worries that a destabilized Iran, with its complex cultural heritage and patchwork of ethnic and religious groups, could devolve into a far worse mess than post-invasion Iraq. —Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026

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