inherit

Meaning

  1. (transitive) To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death.
  2. (intransitive, transitive) To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death.
  3. (transitive) To take possession of as a right (especially in Biblical translations).
  4. (transitive) To receive a characteristic from one's ancestors by genetic transmission.
  5. (transitive) To derive from people or conditions previously in force.
  6. (transitive) To derive (existing functionality) from a superclass.
  7. (transitive) To derive a new class from (a superclass).
  8. (obsolete, transitive) To put in possession of.

Opposite of
bequeath, leave
Synonyms

succeed
B2

succeed to

come into
inheritance
C1
take over
carry on
receive
B1
acquire
C2

carry on from

descend
C2

fall heir to

get
A1
inherited
C1
heredity
43k
lay
B1
obtain
C1
possess
C1
retain
C2
selfishness
C2
share
A2

take the place of

with
A1

come into money

be heir to

take over by transfer

handed down

receive a legacy

be born with

be natural to

accede

know by instinct

accept
A2
🉑
collect
B2
come to
connect
B2
continue
A2
dispossess
dowry
C1
dun
C2
exact
B1
follow
A2
heirs
C2
hereditament
Translations

hériter
erben
heredar
herdar
ereditare
erven

κληρονομώ

heretar
beerben
beërven

hériter de

übernehmen
héritier
ورث
Frequency

C1
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/
Etymology

Inherited from Middle English
enheriten
In summary

From Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan.

Improve your pronunciation

Notes

Sign in to write sticky notes
English