inherit

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous…

   To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death.

   • After Grandad died, I inherited the house.
   • ‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’
2. 2

   To take possession of as a right (especially in Biblical translations).

   • Your descendants will inherit the earth.
3. 3

   To receive a characteristic from one's ancestors by genetic transmission.

   • Let's hope the baby inherits his mother's looks and his father's intelligence.
4. ›+ 4 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To derive from people or conditions previously in force.

      • This country has inherited an invidious class culture.
   2. 5

      To derive (existing functionality) from a superclass.

      • ModalWindow inherits all the properties and methods of Window.
   3. 6

      To derive a new class from (a superclass).

      • For example, the following two code segments, from different assemblies, show how easy it is to inherit a class from another assembly.
   4. 7

      To put in possession of.

      • This, or else nothing, will inherit her

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