heritage language

noun

The language of one's ancestors, especially a language one would like to learn.

“Spanish is considered a heritage language in the United States.”

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Meanings

nounheritage language (plural heritage languages)

plural heritage languages

  1. The language of one's ancestors, especially a language one would like to learn.

    "I thought it was important for the American children to learn their heritage language," Palumbo said.

    1973 November 28, “Italian-American Receives Homeland's Award”, in Public Opinion, Franklin Repository, volume 105, number 111, page 22
  2. human sciencesA minority language that one acquires as a first language but uses and/or is exposed to less later in life in favor of a more dominant majority language.

    Spanish is considered a heritage language in the United States.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 傳承語 /传承语, 繼承語 /继承语
  • 傳承語 /传承语a first language used less later in life
  • 繼承語 /继承语a first language used less later in life
  • 祖語 /祖语 (zǔyǔ)a first language used less later in life
  • 祖裔語 /祖裔语a first language used less later in life
French langue d'héritage
  • langue d'héritagea first language used less later in life
Hungarian származási nyelv, örökségnyelv
  • származási nyelvthe language of one's ancestors
  • örökségnyelvthe language of one's ancestors
  • származási nyelva first language used less later in life
  • örökségnyelva first language used less later in life
Portuguese língua de herança
  • língua de herançaa first language used less later in life
Spanish idioma ancestral, idioma patrimonial
  • idioma ancestralthe language of one's ancestors
  • idioma patrimonialthe language of one's ancestors
  • idioma hereditariothe language of one's ancestors
  • lengua heredadaa first language used less later in life
  • idioma hereditarioa first language used less later in life
  • idioma patrimoniala first language used less later in life
Swedish arvspråk
  • arvspråka first language used less later in life
Cite this entry
APA

heritage language. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heritage%20language

MLA

“heritage language.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heritage%20language. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heritage language,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heritage%20language.

Source: heritage language on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.