English

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Etymology

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From Latin hērēditārius, from hērēditās (inheritance), from hērēs (heir).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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hereditary (comparative more hereditary, superlative most hereditary)

  1. Passed on as an inheritance, by last will or intestate.
  2. Of a title, honor or right: legally granted to somebody's descendant after that person's death.
    Duke is a hereditary title which was created in Norman times.
  3. Of a person: holding a legally hereditary title or rank.
    hereditary rulers
  4. Of a disease or trait: passed from a parent to offspring in the genes.
    Haemophilia is hereditary in his family.
  5. (mathematics) Of a ring: such that all submodules of projective modules over the ring are also projective.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

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hereditary (plural hereditaries)

  1. A hereditary ruler; a hereditary peer in the House of Lords.

See also

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Anagrams

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