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Definition of heritable

heritable

/ˈhɛr.ɪ.tə.bəl/
her · it · a · ble
Adverb:heritably
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heritable Lexical Profile

heritable Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Capable of being passed from parents to offspring through genes; transmissible by biological inheritance.

Example

"Researchers discovered that certain behavioral traits in the species are highly heritable."

2

Capable of being legally inherited, such as property, land, or a title; in Scots law, relating to real property (land and buildings) as opposed to movable personal property.

Example

"The ancient estate remained a heritable possession within the family for over four centuries."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

While 'heritable' and 'inheritable' both mean capable of being inherited, 'heritable' is preferred in genetics for biological traits and in Scots law for real property, whereas 'inheritable' is more common in general contexts regarding money, titles, or possessions.

• Rhymes for heritable

• Nearby Words

heretofore
hereunto
herewith
heritable
heritage
hermann tortoise
hermannia

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in the late 14th century, the word comes from Old French heritable, derived from heriter ('to inherit'), which traces back to Late Latin hereditare and Latin heres ('heir').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Heritable. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/heritable
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