Definition of: inheritance

(in·her′ə·təns) noun
1. Anything acquired or possessed by descent or succession; something which is or can be inherited, as property or title acquired by an heir at the owner's death.
2. A heritage, especially in the sense of mental, cultural or spiritual legacies left by past generations to succeeding generations.
3. Physical or mental characteristics derived from ancestry.
4. Act or fact of inheriting.