What does heritably mean?
Heritably is an uncommon English adverb meaning in a way that can be inherited. It most often describes property, rights, or interests that pass to an heir through succession, while it can also appear in biological and genetic discussion to indicate that a characteristic may be transmitted from parents to offspring. In legal writing, the term can help distinguish rights that pass to successors from interests that expire or must be handled differently. Heritably is formal and more likely to be encountered in specialist material than in everyday conversation; where plain language is preferred, “in a way that can be inherited” is often more direct. The word is closely related to heritable, its adjective counterpart, as well as inherit, inheritance, and hereditary. The principal distinction is grammatical: heritable characterizes something capable of being inherited, while heritably describes the manner in which inheritance or transmission takes place.
adverbIn a way that can be inherited; so as to pass to an heir or to later generations.
- In a manner capable of being inherited or passed to descendants or heirs.
"The family held the estate heritably, with ownership passing to successive descendants."
"The estate had always been held heritably by the family."
"Mutations in the gene can be heritably transmitted from one generation to the next."
A right can be yours today and held heritably for whoever inherits it tomorrow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does heritably come from?
The word belongs to the English family based on inherit, which came through Old French inheriter from Latin inheritare, “to appoint as heir,” formed from in- and heres, meaning “heir.” English subsequently developed related forms including inheritance, heritable, hereditary, and the adverb heritably. The adverb was formed with the suffix -ly to express the manner in which a right or characteristic may be inherited.
How heritably is actually used
Formal and relatively uncommon, appearing chiefly in legal, biological, and genetic writing. In general prose, “in a way that can be inherited” is usually clearer.
Easily confused with heritably
Heritable is an adjective describing what may be inherited, whereas heritably is an adverb describing the manner in which inheritance or transmission occurs.