heritable
adjective
her·i·ta·ble
ˈher-ə-tə-bəl 
ˈhe-rə-
1
: capable of being inherited or of passing by inheritance
2
Synonyms of heritable
Examples of heritable in a Sentence
heritable characteristics like skin and eye and hair color
Recent Examples on the Web
Science, of course, struggles to prove whether that’s predestined in their genes, though some studies suggest that some tendency toward hoarding—put another way, collecting to excess—is heritable.
—
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
But although unfree labor was the norm, with a few exceptions there was not yet the form of permanent, heritable, racialized chattel slavery that would emerge in the Atlantic economies, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Genotoxicity is when a substance or chemical is destructive to genetic information, causing DNA or chromosomal damage that can lead to mutations, cancer, or heritable defects.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Longevity, the authors estimated, was about 25 percent heritable, meaning the remaining three quarters was determined by environmental factors and lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heritable
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Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
But although unfree labor was the norm, with a few exceptions there was not yet the form of permanent, heritable, racialized chattel slavery that would emerge in the Atlantic economies, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
Genotoxicity is when a substance or chemical is destructive to genetic information, causing DNA or chromosomal damage that can lead to mutations, cancer, or heritable defects.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Longevity, the authors estimated, was about 25 percent heritable, meaning the remaining three quarters was determined by environmental factors and lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise.
—Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heritable
Cite this Entry
“Heritable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heritable. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heritable
adjective
her·i·ta·ble
ˈher-ət-ə-bəl
: capable of being inherited : hereditary
heritable differences in structure
Medical Definition
heritable
adjective
her·i·ta·ble
ˈher-ət-ə-bəl
: hereditary
one of several heritable childhood cancers—W. K. Cavenee et al.
W. K. Cavenee et al.Legal Definition
heritable
adjective
her·i·ta·ble
ˈher-ə-tə-bəl
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