inheritance
Definitions
Money, property, or a title that is received from someone who has died.
遗产；继承物。
The genetic transmission of traits from parents to offspring; a trait so passed on.
遗传；遗传特征。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedinherit + -ance (state / thing) = 'the thing inherited' or 'the act of inheriting.' Like the verb, it spans two worlds: a legal inheritance (the estate you receive) and a genetic inheritance (the traits passed down in the blood).
Root hered still carries 16 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.inheritance tax遗产税
- 2.inheritance law继承法
- 3.genetic inheritance遗传
- 4.leave an inheritance留下遗产
- 5.claim an inheritance申领遗产
Example Sentences
- 1.
He used his inheritance to buy a small farm in the countryside.
- 2.
Eye color is determined largely by genetic inheritance.
- 3.
A large inheritance can sometimes tear a family apart.
Easily Confused
inheritance vs heritage — An inheritance is concrete and personal: the money, house, or genes one specific person receives. Heritage is collective and cultural: the traditions and identity a whole community passes down. You spend an inheritance; you preserve a heritage.