Heredity

For the scientific journal Heredity see Heredity (journal)

Heredity (the adjective is hereditary) is the transfer of characters from parent to offspring, either through their genes or through the social institution called inheritance (for example, a title of nobility is passed from individual to individual according to relevant customs and/or laws). One's bloodline is one's familial ancestry. In biology, heredity is effectively a pseudonym for genetics, since biological information is passed on as genes.