NEWS Health News Word of the Week: Heritable By Team Verywell Health Published on July 16, 2021 Fact checked by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Share Tweet Email Print Alex Dos Diaz / Verywell Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Heritable How to say it: Heritable (hair-it-ah-bull) What it means: Something—like a condition or trait—that can be passed on from one generation to another. Where it comes from: The French heriter, which means “to make an heir.” UnitoneVector/Getty Where you might see or hear it: If you’ve ever been curious about your genetic risk for certain traits, diseases, and even preferences, you are familiar with the concept of something being “hereditary.” At your regular health check-up, your doctor might ask you if anyone in your immediate family—such as your parents and siblings—has heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is caused by many risk factors, but genetics play a role. Your doctor may describe heart disease risk as being heritable. They might explain that while you cannot do anything about your DNA, you can make lifestyle changes to support heart health and possibly reduce your risk of developing the condition. When you might want to use it: Taking a family medical history is a great preventive step for your health. Together, you can make a list of conditions that “run in your family” (are heritable), which might include diabetes, breast cancer, glaucoma, arthritis, as well as mental health conditions like depression. What Does It Mean to Be Genetically Predisposed to Disease? Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Merriam-Webster. Definition of heritable. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit