Word
heir
US/ˈɛɹ/
UK/ˈeə/
Definitions
01legal inheritor
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law
n. the person who legally receives money, land, or a house after the owner dies.
n. a person who inherits or is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another.
“The wealthy businessman died without an heir, so his fortune went to charity.”
“Legal disputes arose among the potential heirs when it was discovered that the final will had never been officially witnessed.”
Pitfall
He is a heir to the throne.
He is an heir to the throne.
The 'h' in 'heir' is silent, so you must use 'an' instead of 'a'.
Synonyms
02successor to a title
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the person who will become the next king, queen, or leader.
n. one who inherits or is designated to inherit a hereditary title, office, or station.
Español:sucesor
“The young prince is the first heir to the throne in thirty years.”
“As the direct heir to the dukedom, he was expected to undergo rigorous training in diplomacy and estate management from an early age.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03successor of ideas
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Literary
n. someone who continues the work or tradition of a person who came before them.
n. a person who continues the legacy, tradition, or intellectual work of a predecessor.
Español:sucesor
“Many people see the young scientist as the true heir to Einstein's genius.”
“The new movement considers itself the spiritual heir to the romantic poets of the nineteenth century.”
04to inherit
C2 · Proficiency Archaic
v. to receive money or property from someone who has died.
v. to receive property, a rank, or a title as an heir; functions as a synonym for 'inherit'.
“In the old story, the youngest son was chosen to heir the kingdom.”
“The ancient laws dictated that the eldest daughter would heir the estate should no male siblings survive to adulthood.”
Usage
This verb form is extremely rare in modern English; 'inherit' is almost always preferred.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “heir” in context.
Real-World Examples
“President Museveni also said the king's mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, had told him that her son had left an heir.” Etymology
From Middle English heir, from Anglo-Norman eir, heir, from Latin hērēs.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/heir
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0