Definition of inheritance
1a : the act of inheriting propertyb : the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspringc : the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations
2 : something that is or may be inherited
3a : traditionb : a valuable possession that is a common heritage from nature
4 obsolete : possession
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Examples of inheritance in a Sentence
She began her own business with the inheritance she got from her grandfather.
He left sizable inheritances to his children.
The buildings are part of the city's architectural inheritance.
the inheritance of an estate
the inheritance of a genetic trait
Recent Examples of inheritance from the Web
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For his help, Bibbs hoped for a cut of the mom’s inheritance.
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My husband confessed that his inheritance of Greek doilies and paintings of fishing boats from his grandmother did not spark joy.
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Most customers were left with nothing and many ended up in debt or lost their life savings or inheritances, Perlman reported.
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However, your husband's inheritance is his alone to spend.
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The question becomes: Whose inheritance are these documents?
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Book writer and lyricist Lynn Ahrens' loopy farce revolves around an unexpected inheritance that promises to liberate milquetoast British shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon (Brandon Parrish) from his dead-end life.
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Collections from corporate, cigarette, and inheritance taxes are all expected to drop in the next fiscal year, according to the latest consensus revenue estimates.
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In keeping with this philosophy, Buffett in the past has indicated that his children should not expect much in the way of inheritance.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inheritance'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of inheritance
14th century
Other Genetics Terms
INHERITANCE Defined for English Language Learners
inheritance
playDefinition of inheritance for English Language Learners
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: money, property, etc., that is received from someone when that person dies
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: something from the past that is still important or valuable
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: the act of inheriting something
INHERITANCE Defined for Kids
inheritance
playDefinition of inheritance for Students
1 : the act of getting by legal right from a person at his or her death or through heredity
2 : something gotten by legal right from a person at his or her death
Medical Dictionary
Law Dictionary
inheritance
playLegal Definition of inheritance
1 : the act of inheriting: as a : the acquisition of real or personal property under the laws of intestacy or sometimes by will b : the succession upon the death of an owner either by will or by operation of law to all the estate, rights, and liabilities of the decedent
2a : something that is or may be inherited b : something to which one is entitled as heir increasing the son's potential inheritance under [the] will — Lesnick v. Lesnick, 577 So. 2d 856 (1991)
Learn More about inheritance
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inheritance Spanish Central: Translation of inheritance Nglish: Translation of inheritance for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inheritance for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inheritance
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