Title: Heritable - definition of heritable by The Free Dictionary
Headings: heritable
heritable
her·i·ta·ble
her′i·ta·bil′i·ty n.
her′i·ta·bly adv.
heritable
ˌheritaˈbility n
ˈheritably adv
her•it•a•ble
her·i·ta·ble
heritable
heritable
Mentioned in ?
Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?

Content: Usage The words heritable and congenital are often confused when used in describing medical conditions or diseases. A heritable disease is one that results from a variation or defect in the genetic makeup of an individual. Because of their genetic nature, heritable diseases, such as hemophilia, can be passed from one generation to the next. In this regard the diseases are no different from other genetic traits. A congenital disease is simply one that appears at birth ( congenital comes from Latin com-, meaning "together," and genitus, meaning "born"). Congenital diseases may be heritable ones, but they may also result from some factor, such as a drug, infection, or injury, that has upset the careful timing and balance of the developmental process in the uterus. The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.