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Added 9 October 2026

hereditary

/həˈɹɛdɪt(ə)ɹi/ adjective

Latin root: hērēditārius Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hereditary at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Occurring among members of a family usually by heredity.
an inherited disease
Inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent.
ancestral home

Origin

Inherited from Middle English hereditarie, from Latin hērēditārius, from hērēditās (“inheritance”), from hērēs (“heir”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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