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inheritor

American  
[in-her-i-ter] / ɪnˈhɛr ɪ tər /

noun

  1. a person who inherits; heir.


Etymology

Origin of inheritor

First recorded in 1400–50, inheritor is from the late Middle English word enheritour, enheriter. See inherit, -or 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The nizam’s court, with its sumptuous palaces, its concubines, its rituals and recitations of poetry and music, was the chief inheritor of the archaic grandeur of the moguls.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 4, 2026

Withdrawals from inherited Roth accounts aren’t taxable, but the accounts still must be drained by the inheritor within a decade.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 14, 2025

“CP3 is the inheritor of the primary and founding mission of DHS — to prevent terrorism,” Braniff wrote on LinkedIn when he announced his resignation.

From Salon Jun. 5, 2025

“Changing a name does not change the roots,” she said, adding when asked, “yes, also an inheritor of Petain,” referring to Marshall Philippe Petain, who headed the collaborationist Vichy government in WWII.

From Seattle Times Nov. 9, 2023

It was as the inheritor of a view which covered a dozen miles of rollers, and hundreds of miW of cumulus.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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