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

Explanation

If your grandfather leaves his candy factory to you in his will, it means you're the heir to the family candy business, and after your grandfather dies, you will inherit the factory. When you're named in a will or are legally entitled to inherit something, you're an heir. You can be the heir to someone's money, business, or title; in a monarchy, the king or queen's oldest son is usually the heir to the throne. The word heir isn't pronounced like "hair," but instead has a silent h and sounds like "air."

Example Sentences

Fernandez, Chaves' political heir, appointed him minister of the presidency -- a role akin to that of chief of staff but within the cabinet.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

It would reinforce Shah's standing as Modi's most likely heir, potentially placing him ahead of rivals such as Yogi Adityanath, Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh in the party's next-generation power hierarchy.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

“There’s no question that Donald Jr. wants to have a future in the Republican Party and sees himself as the heir apparent,” Coppins told the Times of London in 2020.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

As the sensitive, flute-playing heir of the boorish, beer-swilling Frederick William I, the young prince had scant interest in soldiering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

‘I am one good reason. The Ring is another: you are the Ring-bearer. And you are the heir of Bilbo, the Ring-finder.’

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Related Words

• beneficiary
• inheritor
• scion
• successor