noun
heredity
hih-REH-dih-tee
Heredity (noun) means the passing of physical or genetic traits from parents to their children. Example: “Heredity explains why she has her mother's eye colour.”
noun
1
The passing of physical or genetic traits from parents to their children.
"Heredity explains why she has her mother's eye colour."
How to use heredity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe biological process by which traits are passed from parents to offspring.
Common mistake
"Heredity" is the noun for the process itself; "hereditary" is the adjective describing something passed down (a hereditary disease).
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- heredities
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ explains why she has her mother's eye colour.
Etymology
From Latin hērēditās ("condition of being an heir"), from hērēs ("heir"), via French heredité.
Synonyms
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genetic endowment
Rhymes for heredity
See all rhymes for heredity →Frequently asked questions
What does “heredity” mean?
The word “heredity” means the passing of physical or genetic traits from parents to their children. In plain terms, the biological process by which traits are passed from parents to offspring.
How do you pronounce “heredity”?
“Heredity” is pronounced hih-REH-dih-tee (/həˈɹɛdəti/ in IPA).
How do you use “heredity” in a sentence?
Here is “heredity” used in a sentence: “Heredity explains why she has her mother's eye colour.”
What part of speech is “heredity”?
“Heredity” is a noun.
Where does the word “heredity” come from?
The word “heredity” comes from Latin. From Latin hērēditās ("condition of being an heir"), from hērēs ("heir"), via French heredité.
