heredity

heredity
[hɪˈrɛdɪti]
noun
[mass noun]
  1. the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another
    遗传
    ■a person's ancestry
    祖先,血统
    he wears a tunic Cossack to emphasize his Russian heredity.
    他穿了一件哥萨克人的紧身短上衣以突出他的俄罗斯血统。
  2. inheritance of title, office, or right
    (头衔、职位或权力的)继承,世袭
    a second chamber whose membership is largely based on heredity.
    成员大多是世袭的上议院。
语源
  1. late 18th cent.: from French hérédité, from Latin hereditas 'heirship', from heres, hered- 'heir'
英语单词
考试词汇表