heir apparent

See more synonyms for heir apparent on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural heirs apparent.

an heir whose right is indefeasible, provided he or she survives the ancestor.
a person whose succession to a position appears certain: His popularity makes him the chief's heir apparent.

Origin of heir apparent

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75

Related formsheir apparency, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for heir apparent

Contemporary Examples of heir apparent

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was snubbed by heir-apparent Xi Jinping on her recent visit.
U.S.-China Economies Ties Deepen as Tensions Rise
Daniel Gross
September 20, 2012
Since then, Lula has continued to push his protégée and heir-apparent in an effort to protect his own legacy.
Brazil's Next Outlaw President
Ian Epstein
October 2, 2010

Historical Examples of heir apparent

The heir-apparent, the late King, admired his talent and relished his society.
In the Heart of Vosges
Matilda Betham-Edwards
The heir-apparent was privileged to support two, and the third from the king but one.
The Annals of the Cakchiquels
Daniel G. Brinton
In April, 1502, at the age of ten, Henry became the heir-apparent to the English throne.
Henry VIII.
A. F. Pollard
That chief was, therefore, brother-in-law to the king, and uncle to the heir-apparent.
Captain Cook
W.H.G. Kingston
You see it's about time to select an heir-apparent for Brockhurst.
The History of Sir Richard Calmady
Lucas Malet

British Dictionary definitions for heir apparent

heir apparent

noun plural heirs apparent

property law a person whose right to succeed to certain property cannot be defeated, provided such person survives his ancestorCompare heir presumptive

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012