inherit

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/ See IPA manual

Freq #8676

Meanings

1

verb
To receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die.

After her grandfather died, she inherited the family house.
2

verb
To get a quality or feature from your parents through your genes.

He inherited his mother's blue eyes.
3

verb
To take over a situation or problem left by someone before you.

The new manager inherited a team with very low morale.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms inheritedinheritinginherits

Derived forms co-inheritcoinheritcoinheritancecoinheritordisinherit disinheritancedisinheritingdisinheritorinheritabilityinheritableinheritablenessinheritably

Etymology

From Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan.

*ǵʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European enheriten Middle English enheriter Old French inhereditare la-lat

View etymology graph ->

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# inherit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/
**Frequency rank:** 8676

## Meanings
1. To receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die.
2. To get a quality or feature from your parents through your genes.
3. To take over a situation or problem left by someone before you.

## Examples
- After her grandfather died, she inherited the family house.
- He inherited his mother's blue eyes.
- The new manager inherited a team with very low morale.

## Derived Forms
- co-inherit
- coinherit
- coinheritance
- coinheritor
- disinherit
- disinheritance
- disinheriting
- disinheritor
- inheritability
- inheritable
- inheritableness
- inheritably

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ǵʰeh₁-
- Root: enheriten
- Root: enheriter
- Root: inhereditare

## Etymology
From Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan.

## AI Etymology
Inherit comes from Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan. The historical line also includes *ǵʰeh₁-.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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inherit

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