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hereditary

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
he·red·i·tar·y  (h-rd-tr)
adj.
1. Law
a. Descending from an ancestor to a legal heir; passing down by inheritance.
b. Having title or possession through inheritance.
2. Transmitted or capable of being transmitted genetically from parent to offspring: a hereditary disease.
3.
a. Appearing in or characteristic of successive generations.
b. Derived from or fostered by one's ancestors: a hereditary prejudice.
4. Ancestral; traditional: their hereditary home. See Synonyms at innate.
5. Of or relating to heredity or inheritance.
[Middle English, from Latin hrditrius, from hrdits, inheritance; see heredity.]
he·redi·tari·ly (-târ-l) adv.
he·redi·tari·ness n.
hereditary
Adjective
1. passed on genetically from one generation to another
2. Law passed on to succeeding generations by inheritance
hereditary  (h-rd-tr)
Passed or capable of being passed from parent to offspring by means of genes.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.hereditaryhereditary - occurring among members of a family usually by heredity; "an inherited disease"; "familial traits"; "genetically transmitted features"
genetic, inherited, transmitted, familial, transmissible
heritable, inheritable - capable of being inherited; "inheritable traits such as eye color"; "an inheritable title"
2.hereditaryhereditary - inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent; "ancestral home"; "ancestral lore"; "hereditary monarchy"; "patrimonial estate"; "transmissible tradition"
ancestral, patrimonial, transmissible
law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
heritable, inheritable - capable of being inherited; "inheritable traits such as eye color"; "an inheritable title"
hereditary
adjective 1. genetic, inborn, inbred, transmissible, inheritable
adjective 2. Law inherited, handed down, passed down, willed, family, traditional, transmitted, ancestral, bequeathed, patrimonial
Translations
Spanish hereditary [hɪˈrɛdɪtrɪ] adj → hereditario
French hereditary [hɪˈrɛdɪtrɪ] adj → héréditaire
German hereditary [hɪˈrɛdɪtrɪ] adj → erblich, Erb-
Italian hereditary [hɪˈrɛdɪtrɪ] adj → ereditario/a
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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
For those who were at first of benefit to mankind, either in arts or arms, or by collecting them into civil society, or procuring them an establishment, became the kings of a willing people, and established an hereditary monarchy.
A Treatise on Government by Aristotle View in context
The new are either entirely new, as was Milan to Francesco Sforza, or they are, as it were, members annexed to the hereditary state of the prince who has acquired them, as was the kingdom of Naples to that of the King of Spain.
The Prince by Machiavelli, Nicolo View in context
The same title has been bestowed on Venice, where absolute power over the great body of the people is exercised, in the most absolute manner, by a small body of hereditary nobles.
Federalist Papers Authored by James Madison by Madison, James View in context
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