# hereditary

> English word · Adjective · IPA /həˈɹɛdɪt(ə)ɹi/ · frequency rank #15,185

## Definitions
1. Passed on as an inheritance, by last will or intestate.
2. Of a title, honor or right: legally granted to somebody's descendant after that person's death.
3. Of a person: holding a legally hereditary title or rank.
4. Of a disease or trait: passed from a parent to offspring in the genes.
5. Of a ring: such that all submodules of projective modules over the ring are also projective.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English hereditarie, from Latin hērēditārius, from hērēditās (“inheritance”), from hērēs (“heir”).

## Easily confused with
- **heredity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hereditary-vs-heredity)

## Common misspellings (15)
`ehreditary`, `heerditary`, `herdeitary`, `heredditary`, `herediatry`, `hereditarry`, `hereditaryy`, `hereditayr`, `hereditray`, `heredittary`, `heredtiary`, `hereidtary`, `herreditary`, `hhereditary`, `hreeditary`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hereditary