verb B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

inherit

ihn-HEH-riht

Inherit (verb) means to receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die. Example: “She inherited the family farm from her grandmother.”

verb

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

"She inherited the family farm from her grandmother."

To receive a trait or quality from a parent or ancestor.

"He inherited his father's sharp sense of humor."

(computing) To take on properties or behavior from another class or system.

"The subclass inherits all the methods of its parent class."

How to use inherit

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo receive something — money, property, a trait, or in programming, functionality — passed down from before you.

Common pairings

inherit money inherit traits inherit from a class

Word forms

inherited past tense, inherits singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She _____ the family farm from her grandmother.

Etymology

From Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare, "to make an heir."

Origin: Late Latin

Rhymes for inherit

merit

See all rhymes for inherit →

Frequently asked questions

What does “inherit” mean?

The word “inherit” means to receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die. In plain terms, to receive something — money, property, a trait, or in programming, functionality — passed down from before you.

How do you pronounce “inherit”?

“Inherit” is pronounced ihn-HEH-riht (/ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/ in IPA).

How do you use “inherit” in a sentence?

Here is “inherit” used in a sentence: “She inherited the family farm from her grandmother.”

What part of speech is “inherit”?

“Inherit” is a verb.

Where does the word “inherit” come from?

The word “inherit” comes from Late Latin. From Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare, "to make an heir.".

Is “inherit” a common word?

“Inherit” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “inherit” have?

“Inherit” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to receive money, property, or a title from someone after they die.