# heiress

/ˈɛɹəs/ (US) · /ˈeəɹɛs/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heiress
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

a woman or girl who will receive a lot of money or property when someone dies. Usually, this person is a member of a very wealthy family.

For teachers: a female successor who inherits or is legally entitled to inherit a significant fortune or title.

## Examples

- The young heiress inherited her grandfather's massive shipping company.
- As the sole heiress to the tech empire, she spent years learning the business before taking over the board.
- The novel explores the social pressures faced by a nineteenth-century heiress whose vast dowry made her the target of several opportunistic suitors.

## Usage notes

- The feminine form of 'heir'; while 'heir' is increasingly used as a gender-neutral term, 'heiress' remains common in journalistic and literary contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.