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Heredity vs Ancestry - What's the difference?

heredity | ancestry |

As nouns the difference between heredity and ancestry

is that heredity is hereditary transmission of the physical and genetic qualities of parents to their offspring; the biological law by which living beings tend to repeat their characteristics in their descendants while ancestry is condition as to ancestors; ancestral lineage; hence, birth or honorable descent.

heredity

English

Noun

(heredities)
  • Hereditary transmission of the physical and genetic qualities of parents to their offspring; the biological law by which living beings tend to repeat their characteristics in their descendants.

    • Related terms

    * hereditary

    See also

    * pangenesis

    Anagrams

    *

    ancestry

    English

    Alternative forms

    * ancestrie (obsolete) * auncestrie (obsolete) * auncestry (obsolete)

    Noun

    (ancestries)
  • Condition as to ancestors; ancestral lineage; hence, birth or honorable descent.
    • Title and ancestry render a good man more illustrious, but an ill one more contemptible. -Addison.
  • A series of ancestors or progenitors; lineage, or those who compose the line of natural descent.

    • Related terms

    * ancestor