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1. 1. The act of inheriting.
   2. Something inherited or to be inherited.
2. Something regarded as a heritage: the cultural inheritance of Rome. See synonyms at heritage.
3. Biology.
   1. The process of genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring.
   2. A characteristic so inherited.
   3. The sum of characteristics genetically transmitted from parents to offspring.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.