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heir
[ air ]
/ ÉÉr /
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noun
a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property of another following the latter's death.
Law.
- (in common law) a person who inherits all the property of a deceased person, as by descent, relationship, will, or legal process.
- 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.
a person who inherits or is entitled to inherit the rank, title, position, etc., of another.
a person or group considered as inheriting the tradition, talent, etc., of a predecessor.
verb (used with object)
Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to inherit; succeed to.
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Origin of heir
1225â75; Middle English eir, heir<Old French <Latin hÄrÄd- (stem of hÄrÄs); akin to Greek chĂȘros bereaved
OTHER WORDS FROM heir
heirless, adjectiveWords nearby heir
Heinkel, Heinlein, heinous, Heinrich, Heinz, heir, heir apparent, heir at law, heirdom, heiress, heirloom
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use heir in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for heir
heir
/ (ÉÉ) /
noun
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
any person or thing that carries on some tradition, circumstance, etc, from a forerunner
an archaic word for offspring
Derived forms of heir
heirless, adjectiveWord Origin for heir
C13: from Old French, from Latin hÄrÄs; related to Greek khÄros bereaved
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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