heredity
/hɪˈredətɪ/noun
mass noun
1
- the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another遗传。
1.1
- 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。
词源
late 18th cent.: from French hérédité, from Latin hereditas 'heirship', from heres, hered- 'heir'.