heritage
/ˈhɛɹ.ə.tɪd͡ʒ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.36 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A tradition; a practice or set of values that is passed down from preceding generations through families or through institutional memory.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A birthright; the status acquired by birth, especially of but not exclusive to the firstborn.
Countable; Uncountable
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "Now unſpeakable happy are all thoſe that have ſuch an heritage: can we thinke they will part with it? No verily, […] they will not part with ſuch an inheritance as Chriſt is, rich, fat, alwayes fruitfull, and never decaying."
- "In fact it was a multifarious agglomerate of many little countries, gathered by marriage, heritage and luck, in the course of centuries, and now united in the hand of this Duke Wilhelm."
- "The first is that learning, continuous learning, is an intrinsic part of the American tradition. In some ways it constitutes the core of our social heritage, and no doubt accounts for the tremendous organizational and productive achievements which have taken place in this country. However, it is possible to move away from, even to lose one's heritage."
- "When a language dies members of the culture of which that language was once a part may attempt to hold on to their linguistic heritage, if not by the use of the defunct language itself, at least by the preservation of its script."
- "a heritage speaker; a heritage language"
- "The university requires heritage Spanish students to enroll in a specially designed Spanish program not available to non-heritage students."
Etymology
From Middle English heritage, from Old French eritage, heritage (modern French héritage), ultimately derived (through suffixation) from Latin hērēs. By surface analysis, herit + -age.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: heritage, eritage,heritage, hērēs
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhɛɹ.ə.tɪd͡ʒ/
- British English: /ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.tɪd͡ʒ/