How Do You Spell HEREDITY?

Pronunciation: [həɹˈɛdɪtˌi] (IPA)

Heredity is spelled with the letters H-e-r-e-d-i-t-y, and is pronounced /hɪˈrɛdɪti/. The word refers to the passing down of genes and traits from parents to their offspring. The spelling of this word is fairly intuitive and follows common English spelling patterns, with the only exception being the letter "y" at the end. The phonetic transcription of the word neatly shows the stress on the second syllable, and the correct pronunciation of the vowel sounds.

HEREDITY Meaning and Definition

  1. Heredity is a fundamental biological concept that refers to the passing on of traits and characteristics from parents to offspring. It involves the transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next. The concept of heredity is based on the idea that living organisms inherit traits from their ancestors through the transfer of genetic material.

    The genetic material, encoded in the form of DNA, contains instructions for the development, functioning, and reproduction of an organism. These instructions are organized into specific sequences known as genes. Each gene carries information that determines a particular trait, such as hair color, eye color, or height.

    During reproduction, genetic material is passed on to the offspring through specialized cells called gametes. In sexual reproduction, the offspring inherits half of their genetic material from each parent. The combining of genetic material from two parents creates a unique genetic combination in the offspring, resulting in individual variation and diversity.

    Heredity plays a crucial role in shaping the characteristics and traits of organisms. The study of heredity, known as genetics, allows scientists to explore how traits are inherited, how they can be traced through generations, and how they can change over time through the process of natural selection.

    Understanding heredity is important not only for the field of biology but also for various practical applications, including the improvement of agricultural crops, the prevention and treatment of genetic diseases, and the development of new drugs and therapies.

  2. The transmission of characters from parent to offspring.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Top Common Misspellings for HEREDITY *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for HEREDITY

Etymology of HEREDITY

The word "heredity" is derived from the Latin term "hereditas", meaning "inheritance" or "property inherited". The Latin term is a combination of the prefix "heres", which means "heir" or "one who inherits", and the suffix "-itas", which indicates a condition or state. From there, the term "heredity" emerged in the English language, referring to the passing down of characteristics from one generation to another.

Similar spelling words for HEREDITY

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