Basic Details
Word: Hereditary
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Passed down from parents to children, either through the body, like eye colour, or by right, like a royal title.
Synonyms: inherited, inborn, genetic, ancestral
Antonyms: acquired
Word origin: Comes from Latin hereditarius, from heres, 'heir'.
How to Spell Hereditary
Syllables: he - red - i - tar - y
Tricky part: The word starts with here and ends in ary. Students write heriditary in the middle or hereditory at the end.
Watch out for: heriditary, hereditory, hereditery
Memory tip: The heir is here: a hereditary title passes to the heir, and the word begins with here.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Curly hair is hereditary in our family; my mother, my uncle and I all have it.
Example 2: The raja's title was hereditary and passed to his eldest son.
Example 3: Some kinds of heart disease are hereditary, so the doctor asked about my grandparents.
Fun Fact
Colour blindness is often hereditary and is far more common in boys than in girls, because the gene for the usual kind is carried on the X chromosome.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word hereditary as used in the sentence:
Doctors believe that her poor eyesight is hereditary, since both her parents wear thick glasses.
a) inborn
b) acquired
c) inherited
d) genetic
Show answer
b) acquired. Something acquired is picked up during your own life, not passed down from your parents.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
h_r_ditary
a) a, e
b) e, i
c) e, e
d) i, e
Show answer
c) e, e. The word opens with here, so both gaps take an e.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. temporary 2. voluntary 3. hereditery 4. momentary
a) passed down from parent to child
b) lasting only for an instant
c) done willingly, without being forced
d) lasting for only a short time
Show answer
a) passed down from parent to child. Temporary, voluntary and momentary all end correctly in ary, and hereditary needs that ending too.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A hereditary title is one that ____.
a) is given for bravery
b) passes from parent to child
c) is bought with money
d) is won in an election
Show answer
b) passes from parent to child
2. Which of these is most likely to be hereditary?
a) a scar from a fall
b) the colour of your eyes
c) the language taught at your school
d) your favourite food
Show answer
b) the colour of your eyes
