hereditas Latin · revision 30773

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la hērēs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [heːˈreː.dɪ.taːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [eˈrɛː.di.tas]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''hērēditās''' ''f'' (genitive hērēditātis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The ablative ''hērēditātī'' is found in an inscription and in Varro.^(OLD 2012)

+ The genitive plural is usually ''hērēditātum'' (Cicero), also ''hērēditātium'' (Cicero, Suetonius, Gaius).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|hērēs|-tās|t1=heir]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(Etymonline) De Vaan finds most likely Nussbaum's explanation of [[m|la|hērēs]] as a noun built on an adjective ⟨*ǵʰeh₁ro-⟩ “left behind, bereft”, the same as [[grc|χῆρος|tr=khêros|t=bereaved]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cassiodorus derived it from [[m|la|erus|t=master]], because the heir rules freely over what he inherits.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Varro uses it for inheriting an estate: ''sī istīus modī mī fundus hērēditātī obvēnerit'', “if a farm of that kind should come to me by inheritance”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Hērēditās'' is the act of inheriting, hereditary succession, and the position of heir, heirship (Cicero: so that he would not be shut out of his brother's inheritance).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also what is inherited, an inheritance or estate.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “heredity, inheritance, heirship”.^(Stelten 1995) In medieval Latin it was also landed property held in full ownership, whether inherited or not, the allod, and allodial right.^(Niermeyer 1976) English [[m|en|heredity]] (1530s) comes from it through French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro: ''fundus hērēditātī obvēnerit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a brother's inheritance.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English [[m|en|heredity]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Inheriting, hereditary [[m|en|succession]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Heirship.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # An [[m|en|inheritance]], an estate inherited.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Land held in full ownership, an [[m|en|allod]]; allodial right.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hērēditārius]]

+ * [[hērēditō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hērēs]]

+ * [[hērēdium]]

+ * [[exhērēs]]

+ * [[en|heredity]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}