# inherit

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɪnˈhɛɹɪt/ · frequency rank #14,567

## Definitions
1. To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death.
2. To receive (property, a title, etc.), by legal succession or bequest after the previous owner's death.
3. To take possession of as a right (especially in Biblical translations).
4. To receive a characteristic from one's ancestors by genetic transmission.
5. To derive from people or conditions previously in force.
6. To derive (existing functionality) from a superclass.
7. To derive a new class from (a superclass).
8. To put in possession of.

## Etymology
From Middle English enheriten, from Old French enheriter, from Late Latin inhereditare (“make heir”). Displaced native Old English ierfan.

## Easily confused with
- **insert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherit-vs-insert)
- **invert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherit-vs-invert)
- **interim** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherit-vs-interim)
- **inhibit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherit-vs-inhibit)
- **inherited** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherit-vs-inherited)
- **inert** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inert-vs-inherit)
- **inhabit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inhabit-vs-inherit)
- **inherent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inherent-vs-inherit)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ihnerit`, `inehrit`, `inheirt`, `inheritt`, `inherrit`, `inherti`, `inhherit`, `inhreit`, `innherit`, `niherit`

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