Wordwyrt

inherit

/ˌɪnˈheɹət/in-HEH-ruht
/ˌɪnˈhɛɹət/in-HEH-ruht

Meaningto become heir

Common meaning: to receive from someone who has died

‘in, into’ + ‘an heir’ → inherit

Journey through time

  1. Latinhērēs, hērēdis‘an heir’
  2. Old Frenchheritersource
  3. Englishinherit‘to receive from someone who has died’ · today

in- also in: incestinciteinduceinfamyinfant

herit also in: heritageheirhereditary

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin hērēs ‘an heir’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry hērēs, p. 848 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

heirhereditaryheritage

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