inherited
Americanadjective
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received from or as if from one’s predecessors.
Their wealth is from inherited properties, mostly through the estate of their mother’s parents.
For the novelist Henry James, history, tradition, precedence, and established forms constituted the inherited wisdom of civilization.
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received through genetic transmission.
the family’s inherited trait of straight blond hair;
kidney problems symptomatic of an inherited disorder.
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Baseball. (of a base runner) allowed on base by a previous pitcher.
The unlucky reliever balked, hit a batter, threw a wild pitch, allowed an inherited runner to score, and got only one out.
Other Word Forms
- half-inherited adjective
- noninherited adjective
- quasi-inherited adjective
- uninherited adjective
Etymology
Origin of inherited
First recorded in 1795–1800; inherit ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The state’s high rate of inherited homes reflects California’s unique circumstances: years of skyrocketing home prices, and tax policies that encourage owners to avoid selling their houses before they die.
The genes were biologically "toxic" to humans, researchers hypothesized, and eventually purged out -- in essence, the children who inherited those traits might not have lived to pass them on.
From Barron's
In most other cases, you would be required to submit a certified copy of the death certificate to a financial institution in order to transfer or deposit inherited funds into your account.
From MarketWatch
“We inherited a slate that has underperformed and we are going to see a significant improvement in the profitability in our film slate this year.”
From MarketWatch
When he took over in June 2024, Favreau inherited a ballet company shaken by allegations of harassment with a tarnished reputation and financial difficulties.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
