heritability

noun

her·​i·​ta·​bil·​i·​ty ˌher-ə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

ˌhe-rə-

1

: the quality or state of being heritable

2

: the proportion of observed variation in a particular trait (such as height) that can be attributed to inherited genetic factors in contrast to environmental ones

Examples of heritability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Understanding a fly’s blueprint for heritability and how their brains are wired (all 139,255 neurons and their 54.5 million synapses) is a path to better understanding the natural world, including ourselves. —Barrett Klein, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Oct. 2024

Similarly, the high heritability of the 12-minute results don’t reflect the effects of, say, 100-mile weeks. —Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 14 Aug. 2024

For example, the study found that parents who have neurodevelopmental disorders — which have strong heritability — are also more likely to use pain medications, like acetaminophen, during pregnancy. —Mira Cheng, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024

The fact that the median trait value changed so much over the century and a half of the survey, combined with its heritability, allows one to infer that this shift was driven in part by natural selection. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2011

Word History

Etymology

herit(able) + -ability

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

heritability

noun

her·​i·​ta·​bil·​i·​ty ˌher-ət-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

plural heritabilities

1

: the quality or state of being heritable

2

: the proportion of observed variation in a particular trait (as intelligence) that can be attributed to inherited genetic factors in contrast to environmental ones