heir
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
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.
Simple“The wealthy businessman died without an heir, so his fortune went to charity.”
In context“Legal disputes arose among the potential heirs when it was discovered that the final will had never been officially witnessed.”
PitfallHe 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'.
Synonymsinheritorbeneficiary - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
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.
Simple“The young prince is the first heir to the throne in thirty years.”
In context“As the direct heir to the dukedom, he was expected to undergo rigorous training in diplomacy and estate management from an early age.”
Synonymssuccessorcrown princeAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
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.
Simple“Many people see the young scientist as the true heir to Einstein's genius.”
In context“The new movement considers itself the spiritual heir to the romantic poets of the nineteenth century.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
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'.
Simple“In the old story, the youngest son was chosen to heir the kingdom.”
In context“The ancient laws dictated that the eldest daughter would heir the estate should no male siblings survive to adulthood.”
UsageThis verb form is extremely rare in modern English; 'inherit' is almost always preferred.
Synonyms
Usage heir apparent · heirs to the throne
“President Museveni also said the king's mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, had told him that her son had left an heir.”
From Middle English heir, from Anglo-Norman eir, heir, from Latin hērēs.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.