Hereditary Meaning
/həˈɹɛdɪt(ə)ɹi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjPassed on as an inheritance, by last will or intestate.
adjOf a title, honor or right: legally granted to somebody's descendant after that person's death.
Sentence Examples
My baby has a hereditary disease.
My son has an hereditary disease.
The disease we are talking about is hereditary.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The king's ____ disease was passed down to his son and grandson.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Color blindness is often a ____ condition that is passed down from parents to their children.
Word Origin & History
Inherited from Middle English hereditarie, from Latin hērēditārius, from hērēditās (“inheritance”), from hērēs (“heir”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Xanthuria is an hereditary disorder in which there is an absence of the enzyme xanthine oxidase which interferes with the metabolic breakdown of purines, leading to an increased excretion of xanthine in the urine and to formation of stones."
— 1985, Urology, volume 2, page 12:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The king's ____ disease was passed down to his son and grandson.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Color blindness is often a ____ condition that is passed down from parents to their children.