# heritage

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.tɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #3,886

## Definitions
1. An inheritance; property that may be inherited.
2. A tradition; a practice or set of values that is passed down from preceding generations through families or through institutional memory.
3. A birthright; the status acquired by birth, especially of but not exclusive to the firstborn.
4. Having a certain background, such as growing up with a second language.

## Etymology
From Middle English heritage, from Old French eritage, heritage (modern French héritage), ultimately derived (through suffixation) from Latin hērēs. By surface analysis, herit + -age.

## Easily confused with
- **hesitate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heritage-vs-hesitate)
- **hermitage** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/heritage-vs-hermitage)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ehritage`, `heirtage`, `heriatge`, `heritaeg`, `heritagge`, `heritgae`, `herittage`, `herritage`, `hertiage`, `hheritage`, `hreitage`

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