What does "inherit" mean?
Inherit: To receive or take by birth; to have by nature; to derive or acquire from ancestors, as mental or physical qualities; as, he inherits a strong constitution, a tendency to disease, etc. Prince Harry is valiant; for the cold blood he did naturally inherit of his father he hath . . . manured . . . with good store of fertile sherris. Shak.
Additional senses
- 2.To come into possession of; to possess; to own; to enjoy as a possession. But the meek shall inherit the earth. Ps. xxxvii.
- 3.To bury so much gold under a tree, And never after to inherit it. Shak.
- 4.To put in possession of. [R.] Shak.
- 5.To take or hold a possession, property, estate, or rights by inheritance. Thou shalt not inherit our father's house. Judg. xi. 2.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00