heir

American  

[air] / ɛər /

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.

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verb (used with object)

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

heir British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

• heirless adjective

Etymology

Origin of heir

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

Example Sentences

Only someone with legal standing — an executor, heir, creditor or beneficiary, for example — can typically file a petition in a case such as this.

From MarketWatch

If leaving money to your heirs matters, you can buy life insurance and name them as beneficiaries, or choose annuity options with a period-certain guarantee, though the latter reduce your monthly payment.

From The Wall Street Journal

A “hotchpot clause” in your will ensures fairness by effectively deducting the advance gifts from their inheritance share, retroactively calculating what each heir has already received.

From MarketWatch

"I have to watch them from hair to toe so that in the future they could be our heirs," she said.

From Barron's

In 1976 the term for material owned by their creators or heirs was changed to the creator’s life plus 50 years.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• beneficiary
• inheritor
• scion
• successor