heir

heir · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A person who is legally entitled to inherit the property, title, or position of another upon that person's death.

  2. 2.

    A person who inherits or is expected to inherit qualities, traits, or traditions from a predecessor.

Forms

plural: heirs

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    heir apparent — a person whose right to inherit is certain, barring their death before the current holder
  • •
    heir presumptive — a person who would inherit if the current holder died now, but whose claim could be displaced by the birth of a closer heir
  • •
    fall heir to — to inherit something

Related words

Antonyms: ancestor, predecessor
See also: heiress, inherit, inheritance, legacy
Synonyms: beneficiary, descendant, inheritor, successor

Etymology

From Old French eir ("heir"), from Latin heres ("heir"). The silent 'h' was added in Middle English to reflect the Latin spelling.