The Collaborative International Dictionary
nonhereditary
nonhereditary \nonhereditary\ adj. Not inheritable through genetic transmission. Opposite of inheritable, and heritable. [Narrower terms: acquired, nurtural; {congenital, inborn, innate ]
Syn: nontransmissible, nonheritable, noninheritable.
Wiktionary
nonhereditary
a. Not hereditary; not passed down by inheritance.
WordNet
nonhereditary
adj. not acquirable by inheritance [syn: nontransmissible]
Usage examples of "nonhereditary".
Lord Victor's position as ruler of the Harbor Lands was theoretically nonhereditary, but in practice one of his sons was very likely to succeed him, given the approval of the Council in Pangur Ban.
In later states, including most today, the leadership often became nonhereditary, and many states abandoned the entire system of formal hereditary classes carried over from chiefdoms.