Inherit

Inherit

To inherit something is to get it from one's ancestors through legal succession (e.g., "inherit the throne"), or through a bequest (e.g., "inherited money from his deceased aunt"), or from genetic transmission (e.g., "inherited color-blindness from his father"). As a related definition, it can mean to take power or possession due to a perceived right or dominating ability to do so (e.g., "Their children's children will inherit the earth"; or, "The nobility of the invading tribe will inherit the ruling-caste positions of Xopanthia").

As a further related definition, it can also mean — in a more general sense — to derive a characteristic from people, groups or objects which were influential at some time in the past, even if such people/groups/objects are not "ancestral" to those who receive the characteristic (as in, for example, "The Western Europeans, during the Middle Ages, inherited the learning of the Arabs by translating many of their important writings").

Other specific meanings and related articles:

* In the sense of biology or genetics, see Heredity;
* In the sense of computer science, see Inheritance (computer science);
* In the sense of law or society, see Inheritance.
* In music, see "Inherit" (Free Kitten album).


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  • inherit — in·her·it /in her it/ vb [Middle French enheriter to make one an heir, from Late Latin inhereditare, from Latin in in + hereditas inheritance] vt 1: to receive (property) from an estate by operation of the laws of intestacy; broadly: to receive… …   Law dictionary

  • inherit — in‧her‧it [ɪnˈhert] verb [transitive] 1. LAW to receive money or property from someone after they have died: • She will inherit her father s entire fortune when he dies. inherit something from somebody • We built the house on land inherited from …   Financial and business terms

  • Inherit — In*her it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Inherited}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inheriting}.] [OE. enheriten to inherit, to give a heritage to, OF. enheriter to appoint as an heir, L. inhereditare; pref. in in + hereditare to inherit, fr. heres heir. See {Heir}.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Inherit — In*her it, v. i. To take or hold a possession, property, estate, or rights by inheritance. [1913 Webster] Thou shalt not inherit our father s house. Judg. xi. 2. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inherit — (v.) c.1300, to make (someone) an heir, from O.Fr. enheriter make heir, appoint as heir, from L.L. inhereditare to appoint as heir, from L. in in (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + hereditare to inherit, from heres (gen. heredis) heir (see …   Etymology dictionary

  • inherit — [in her′it] vt. [ME enheriten < OFr enheriter < LL inhereditare, to appoint as heir, inherit < L in, in + heres, HEIR] 1. Obs. to transfer property to (an heir) 2. a) to receive (an ancestor s property, title, etc.) by the laws of… …   English World dictionary

  • Inherit —   [dt. »erben«], Vererbung, objektorientierte Programmierung …   Universal-Lexikon

  • inherit — [v] gain as possession from someone’s death accede, acquire, be bequeathed, be granted, be left, come in for, come into, derive, fall heir, get, obtain, receive, succeed, take over; concepts 124,317 …   New thesaurus

  • inherit — ► VERB (inherited, inheriting) 1) receive (money, property, or a title) as an heir at the death of the previous holder. 2) derive (a quality or characteristic) from one s parents or ancestors. 3) receive or be left with (a situation, object,… …   English terms dictionary

  • inherit — [[t]ɪnhe̱rɪt[/t]] inherits, inheriting, inherited 1) VERB If you inherit money or property, you receive it from someone who has died. [V n] He has no son to inherit his land. [V n from n] ...paintings that he inherited from his father. [V ed]… …   English dictionary

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