English pronunciation · Words Starting with H
Hereditary Pronunciation
Hereditary is pronounced her-E-duh-te-ree, IPA /hɝˈɛdəˌtɛri/.
her-E-duh-te-ree
US /hɝˈɛdəˌtɛri/ · UK /hɪˈrɛdɪtəri/
Syllables: her · E · duh · te · ree (5 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
adjective: Passed from parent to child, whether a trait, a disease, or a title.
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Hereditary in a Sentence
- The condition is hereditary on her father's side.
- Hereditary peers lost most of their seats in 1999.
- Colour blindness is hereditary and far commoner in men.
Common Mispronunciations of Hereditary
Not HE-ruh-di-te-ree
The beat is on the second syllable, the E of red. Starting strong makes the rest of the word collapse.
Not here-DI-tuh-ree
The opening syllable is not the word here. It is a quick her, and the stressed vowel that follows is the e of bed, not an i.
Tip: Say hereditary as her-E-duh-te-ree in American English; British speakers usually trim it to hi-RE-di-tri.
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