heritage
gb/hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ/ us/hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ/
B1
English
~ 3200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
traditions and culture from the past
The history, traditions, and culture that come from people in the past.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s heritage
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'heritage' with 'inheritance'. 'Inheritance' usually refers to money or property received after someone's death, while 'heritage' refers to culture or traditions from the past.
Synonyms
legacy (Often refers to something handed down, but can also mean a personal impact or result of someone's actions.)
|
tradition (Refers more narrowly to repeated customs rather than the full range of cultural inheritance.)
Antonyms
loss (Represents the disappearance or destruction of cultural or historical elements.)
Collocations
cultural heritage
|national heritage
|heritage site
|heritage center
|heritage conservation
Themes
culture
|history
|society
|core_vocabulary
|education
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The festival celebrates the region's rich cultural heritage.
- UNESCO works to protect world heritage sites.
- She takes great pride in her Irish heritage.
- The museum showcases artifacts from the city's heritage.
- Preserving our heritage is important for future generations.
Learner examples
- My family has a strong cultural heritage.
- This building is part of our national heritage.
- We want to keep our heritage alive.
- Her Italian heritage is very important to her.
Noun
B2
entity
2
property or rights inherited by law
Property or rights that a person gets when someone dies.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s heritage
Common mistake:
Learners often use 'heritage' here when 'inheritance' would sound more natural in modern English for material possessions.
Synonyms
inheritance (More common in everyday use for money or property received after someone's death.)
Antonyms
dispossession (The act of taking away someone's property or rights.)
Collocations
family heritage
|legal heritage
Themes
law
|family
|finance
Examples
- The estate became part of his heritage after his father passed away.
- Under the law, the land was his rightful heritage.
- She sold most of her heritage to pay debts.
Learner examples
- He got a house as his heritage.
- The farm is part of my heritage.
- She lost her heritage after the court case.
Grammar
Dictionary form
heritage
IPA
GB/hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ/
US/hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
her - it - age (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (her)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: heritage
- Plural: heritages
Word family
Forms
heritages
noun
Core family
Related words
inherited
adjective
heirloom
noun
Negative and opposite forms
disinherit
verb
Advanced or less common
Expressions
heritage site
1/hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ sˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
recognized location of cultural value
A place that is officially protected because it is important for history or culture.
Examples
- The temple has been declared a heritage site.
- Visitors must respect the rules when visiting a heritage site.
world heritage site
1/wˈɚld hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ sˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
protected site of global value
A place that is very important for culture or nature, protected by UNESCO.
Examples
- The Great Wall of China is a world heritage site.
- Tourists flock to see the city's famous world heritage site.
cultural heritage
1/kˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl hˈɛɹɪtɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
Traditions and art from the past
The history, art, and traditions that come from the past in a society.
Examples
- The UNESCO program aims to protect world cultural heritage.
- Traditional dance is an important part of our cultural heritage.
- Language is an important part of our cultural heritage.
- They are working to preserve their cultural heritage.