heritable
heritable — adjective
- heritablepositive
- more heritablecomparative
- most heritablesuperlative
1. describes a medical condition or physical quality that is transmitted from one g
describes a medical condition or physical quality that is transmitted from one generation to the next through the genetic material inside cells.
The doctor told Hassan's family their son's condition was heritable and could affect other children.
heritable condition — commonly used with diseases and medical disorders
Takeshi's blue eyes are a heritable trait that runs in his Japanese family.
heritable trait — physical qualities passed through genes
Scientists have identified several heritable forms of breast cancer linked to specific genes.
Kian asked the genetic counselor whether his heart condition was heritable or caused by lifestyle.
Researchers are studying the heritable patterns of hearing loss among families in rural Mexico.
- hereditary
more common in everyday language; 'heritable' sounds more technical and is preferred in scientific writing
- inheritable
almost identical in meaning but far less frequent; 'heritable' is the standard term in genetics
- genetic
broader — covers all gene-related traits, including those that appear without being inherited (mutations)
- acquired
describes conditions that develop during a person's lifetime (e.g., from infection or injury), not passed through genes