inheritance

noun in·her·i·tance \ in-ˈher-ə-tən(t)s , -ˈhe-rə- \

|Updated on: 20 Aug 2018

Examples: inheritance in a Sentence

Definition of inheritance

1 a : the act of inheriting property

b : the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring

c : the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations

2 : something that is or may be inherited

3 a : tradition

b : 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

After covering up her husband’s sudden death, a woman (Luana Anders) who has married into a wealthy Irish clan sets out to cheat her way into an inheritance — then discovers that the family has secrets of its own.

— ben kenigsberg, New York Times, "4 Film Series to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 7 June 2018
Gender is so often an accidental inheritance — one that comes despite best efforts to disrupt the binary, to teach girls about astronauts and boys about baking.

— heather radke, Longreads, "A Beginner’s Guide to Fly Fishing With Your Father," 16 June 2018
Elaine Chao received an inheritance valued at between $5 million and $25 million after her mother’s death in 2007.

— salvador rizzo, Washington Post, "The kooky tale of ‘Cocaine Mitch’," 4 May 2018
Mike's father just died and left him and his two sisters an inheritance — the father's home, which had a fair market value of $120,000.

— susan tompor, Detroit Free Press, "Save the family RV by cutting elsewhere? Maybe, if kids get their way," 27 Apr. 2018
The cultural and physical inheritances, though, are inextricably linked.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "The Inheritance and the Ambitions of Queer Art," 18 Apr. 2018
His mother’s family was well off, and in the back of his mind Sando had long assumed that, if nothing else worked, an inheritance might bail him out.

— junot díaz, The New Yorker, "The Hunt for Mexico’s Heirloom Beans," 17 Apr. 2018
Hundreds of Tunisians gathered to march for equality in inheritance, among them political figures, former government ministers, and leaders of parties.

— tharwa boulifi, Teen Vogue, "Feminist Activists in Tunisia Organized a Women's March," 19 Mar. 2018
But one year, my dad unexpectedly came into an inheritance from a distant uncle.

— michelle singletary, BostonGlobe.com, "What do your parents owe you when they die?," 6 July 2018

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.

Origin and Etymology of inheritance

Middle English enheritaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French enheritance, from enheriter "to give (a person) right of inheritance, inherit" + -ance -ance

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

inheritance Synonyms

Synonyms

bequest, birthright, heritage, legacy, patrimony;

Related Words

heirloom;

bestowal, gift, offering, present;

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

Financial Definition of INHERITANCE

inheritance

noun

What It Is

An inheritance includes those assets of an estate that are bequeathed, in whole or in part, to specific heirs.

How It Works

The assets that comprise an estate are customarily transferred to individuals specified by name or relationship (e.g. "Howard Jones, III or "grandchild") in the will of the deceased. In the absence of a will, estate assets are transferred according to laws that protect the assets of the deceased (generally passing them to descendants in a specific order). Once transferred, an inheritance is heavily taxed.

For example, Jim's estate is worth $10,000. His will specifies that his son and daughter each receive $5000. Following Jim's death, the son and daughter each receive $5000. This is their inheritance.

Why It Matters

An inheritance represents the material legacy an individual leaves behind after his de The definition of inheritance on InvestingAnswers ath. In addition to the family dynamics involved in the transfer of an inheritance, there are significant tax implications for the inheritors depending on their circumstances and on the value of assets received.