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heir

n. · v.
US //ˈɛɹ// UK //ˈeə// heir
  1. 1 legal inheritor (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    the person who legally receives money, land, or a house after the owner dies.

    a person who inherits or is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another.

    Example

    The wealthy businessman died without an heir, so his fortune went to charity.

    Example

    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'.

  2. 2 successor to a title (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the person who will become the next king, queen, or leader.

    one who inherits or is designated to inherit a hereditary title, office, or station.

    Example

    The young prince is the first heir to the throne in thirty years.

    Example

    As the direct heir to the dukedom, he was expected to undergo rigorous training in diplomacy and estate management from an early age.
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  1. 3 successor of ideas (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    someone who continues the work or tradition of a person who came before them.

    a person who continues the legacy, tradition, or intellectual work of a predecessor.

    Example

    Many people see the young scientist as the true heir to Einstein's genius.

    Example

    The new movement considers itself the spiritual heir to the romantic poets of the nineteenth century.
  2. 4 to inherit (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    to receive money or property from someone who has died.

    to receive property, a rank, or a title as an heir; functions as a synonym for 'inherit'.

    Example

    In the old story, the youngest son was chosen to heir the kingdom.

    Example

    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.
Origin

From Middle English heir, from Anglo-Norman eir, heir, from Latin hērēs.

Word family

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