heir

[air]

noun

1. a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property of another following the latter's death.

2. Law.

   1. (in common law) a person who inherits all the property of a deceased person, as by descent, relationship, will, or legal process.

   2. Civil Law.,  a person who legally succeeds to the place of a deceased person and assumes the rights and obligations of the deceased, as the liabilities for debts or the possessory rights to property.

3. a person who inherits or is entitled to inherit the rank, title, position, etc., of another.

4. a person or group considered as inheriting the tradition, talent, etc., of a predecessor.

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.,  to inherit; succeed to.

heir

/ ɛə /

noun

1. civil law the person legally succeeding to all property of a deceased person, irrespective of whether such person died testate or intestate, and upon whom devolves as well as the rights the duties and liabilities attached to the estate

2. any person or thing that carries on some tradition, circumstance, etc, from a forerunner

3. an archaic word for offspring

Other Word Forms

• heirless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heir¹

1225–75; Middle English eir, heir < Old French < Latin hērēd- (stem of hērēs ); akin to Greek chêros bereaved

Word History and Origins

Origin of heir¹

C13: from Old French, from Latin hērēs; related to Greek khēros bereaved

Example Sentences

Your uncle’s wife is not a legal heir or a direct descendant of your grandmother.

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The Patriots drafted Jones as Brady’s heir in 2021, and he quickly showed promise with New England, reaching the postseason as a rookie.

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With incredible detail, he has reconstructed the ways a modest fund endowed by a reluctant heir managed to reshape American civil rights in less than 20 years.

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But it has shown an heir to the throne managing the stresses of family with his future on his mind.

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He allegedly posed as the wealthy heir of a diamond mogul on dating app Tinder and swindled women into lending him large sums of money, which he never repaid.

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Related Words

• beneficiary 
• inheritor 
• scion 
• successor