v.
Pronunciation: in- ' her- ə t, - ' he-r ə t
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English enheriten to give right of inheritance to, from Anglo-French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare, from Latin in- + hereditas inheritance ― more at HEREDITY
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to come into possession of or receive especially as a right or divine portion <and every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters ⋯ for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life ― Mount 19:29 (RSV)>
2 a : to receive from an ancestor as a right or title descendible by law at the ancestor's death b : to receive as a devise or legacy
3 : to receive from a parent or ancestor by genetic transmission < inherit a defective enzyme>
4 : to have in turn or receive as if from an ancestor < inherit ed the problem from his predecessor>
intransitive verb : to take or hold a possession or rights by inheritance
– in · her · i · tor \ -(r) ə -t ə r \ noun
– in · her · i · tress \ -(r) ə -tr ə s \ or in · her · i · trix \ -(r) ə -( ˌ )triks \ noun