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inherit

Syllabification: (in·her·it)
Pronunciation: /inˈherit/
Translate inherit | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of inherit

verb (inherits, inheriting, inherited)

[with object]
  • receive (money, property, or a title) as an heir at the death of the previous holder:she inherited a fortune from her father
  • derive (a quality, characteristic, or predisposition) genetically from one’s parents or ancestors:she had inherited the beauty of her grandmother
  • receive or be left with (a situation, object, etc.) from a predecessor or former owner:spending commitments inherited from previous administrations
  • North American come into possession of (belongings) from someone else:she inherits all her clothes from her older sisters
  • archaic come into possession of (something) as a right (especially in biblical translations and allusions):master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

Origin:

Middle English enherite 'receive as a right', from Old French enheriter, from late Latin inhereditare 'appoint as heir', from Latin in- 'in' + heres, hered- 'heir'

inherit in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of inherit in the British & World English dictionary