heritable

/ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/

//ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"heritable" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“heritable” is uncommon English (frequency #54,230 among 23,837 “H” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,230
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - That can legally be inherited.

Key facts for heritable
PropertyValue
Headwordheritable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#54,230
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “heritable” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). heritable lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

heritable is uncommon English at frequency #54,230 among 23,837 “H” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for heritable, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English heritable, from Anglo-Norman heritable; equivalent to herit + -able. The correct English form is heritable, spelled H-E-R-I-T-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    That can legally be inherited.
  2. 2
    Genetically transmissible from parent to offspring; hereditary.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English heritable, from Anglo-Norman heritable; equivalent to herit + -able.

Synonyms

inheritable

This word in other languages

héritable(Français)erblich(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "heritable"?
"heritable" is spelled H-E-R-I-T-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/.
What does "heritable" mean?
As an adjective, "heritable" means: That can legally be inherited.
How do you pronounce "heritable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "heritable" is /ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "heritable"?
Inherited from Middle English heritable, from Anglo-Norman heritable; equivalent to herit + -able. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “heritable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-R-I-T-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɛɹɪtəbəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list