Duke is a hereditary title which was created in Norman times.
hereditary rulers
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hereditary — he·red·i·tary /hə re də ˌter ē/ adj [Latin hereditarius, from hereditas inheritance, from hered heres heir] 1: received or passing by inheritance or required to pass by inheritance hereditary shares 2: having ownership or possession through… … Law dictionary
Hereditary — He*red i*ta*ry, a. [L. hereditarius, fr. hereditas heirship, inheritance, fr. heres heir: cf. F. h[ e]r[ e]ditaire. See {Heir}.] 1. Descended, or capable of descending, from an ancestor to an heir at law; received or passing by inheritance, or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
hereditary — [hə red′i ter΄ē] adj. [L hereditarius < hereditas: see HEREDITY] 1. a) of, or passed down by, inheritance from an ancestor to a legal heir; ancestral b) having title, right, etc. by inheritance 2. of, or passed down by, heredity; designating… … English World dictionary
hereditary — (adj.) early 15c., hereditarie, from L. hereditarius, from hereditas (see HEREDITY (Cf. heredity)) … Etymology dictionary
hereditary — congenital, inborn, inherited, *innate, inbred Analogous words: transmitted, conveyed (see CARRY): inherent, con stitutional, intrinsic, ingrained … New Dictionary of Synonyms
hereditary — [adj] inherited; transmitted at birth ancestral, bequeathed, family, genealogical, genetic, handed down, heritable, inborn, inbred, inheritable, inherited, lineal, maternal, paternal, patrimonial, traditional, transmissible, transmitted, willed;… … New thesaurus
hereditary — ► ADJECTIVE 1) conferred by, based on, or relating to inheritance. 2) (of a characteristic or disease) able to be passed on genetically from parents to their offspring. DERIVATIVES hereditarily adverb … English terms dictionary
hereditary — [[t]hɪre̱dɪtri[/t]] 1) ADJ A hereditary characteristic or illness is passed on to a child from its parents before it is born. Cystic fibrosis is the commonest fatal hereditary disease... In men, hair loss is hereditary. 2) ADJ A title or position … English dictionary
hereditary — hereditarily /hi red i tair euh lee, red i ter /, adv. hereditariness, n. /heuh red i ter ee/, adj. 1. passing, or capable of passing, naturally from parent to offspring through the genes: Blue eyes are hereditary in our family. Cf. congenital. 2 … Universalium
hereditary — /həˈrɛdətri / (say huh reduhtree) adjective 1. passing, or capable of passing, naturally from parents to offspring: hereditary traits. 2. relating to inheritance or heredity: hereditary descent. 3. being such through feelings, etc., derived from… …
