What does inheritance mean?
Inheritance is the money, property, rights, or other things that one receives from someone who has died, especially under a will or the law of succession. The word can also refer more broadly to the transmission of characteristics, traditions, responsibilities, or properties from one generation or system to another. In legal contexts, inheritance is closely associated with estates, heirs, wills, and succession law. In biology, it describes the transmission of genetic traits, while in computing it refers to a mechanism through which an object or class receives properties from another object or class. The term is especially common in discussions of family wealth, estate planning, and inheritance tax, where it may refer either to the property received or to the legal arrangement governing that transfer. In a broader figurative sense, inheritance can describe anything valuable—or burdensome—that is handed down by a predecessor.
nounProperty, money, rights, or other possessions received from a deceased person under a will, the law of succession, or family custom. More broadly, it means anything received from a predecessor, including characteristics, traditions, or responsibilities.
- Property, money, or other possessions received after a person's death.
- The legal right or process of passing property to heirs.
- Characteristics, qualities, or patterns received from parents or earlier generations.
- In computing, the mechanism by which a derived class or object acquires properties, definitions, or behavior from a parent class or object.
"She inherited a small country house and a substantial inheritance from her grandparents."
"His inheritance included a farm, several paintings, and a share of the family business."
"The report examines how genetic inheritance can influence susceptibility to certain diseases."
"The new class inherits validation behavior from its parent class through inheritance."
The plural is uncommon in ordinary use but is grammatically correct, especially when referring to separate estates or property received by different people.
"The two inheritances were divided between the brothers."
An inheritance may be a fortune, a family duty, or both at once.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inheritance come from?
The word comes through Old French from Latin inheritare, a verb derived from in-, meaning “into” or “upon,” and heres, meaning “heir.” The underlying idea is that someone becomes an heir to property or rights belonging to a predecessor. English inherited the noun inheritance in the Middle English period, while related forms such as inherit and heritage continue to reflect the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How inheritance is actually used
In everyday use, inheritance most often concerns money or property. In legal and financial contexts, it may also refer to the right of heirs to receive an estate. In biology and computing, it is used in more technical senses involving transmission of traits or properties.
Easily confused with inheritance
Inheritance usually refers to property, money, or legal rights passed to someone, while heritage refers more broadly to traditions, culture, or valued features passed down through generations.