inherit
/ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.52 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest, usually after the previous owner's death.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "After Grandad died, I inherited the house."
- "‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’"
- "When we took office, we inherited a total catastrophe."
- "Lucky old Daniel – his grandfather died rich, and he's inherited."
- "Your descendants will inherit the earth."
- "Let's hope the baby inherits his mother's looks and his father's intelligence."
Etymology
From Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *ǵʰeh₁-, enheriten, enheriter, inhereditare