rightful
adj.describing something that belongs to a person because it is fair, legal, or honest.
adj.having a legitimate, legal, or moral claim to a position, property, or status. Often used to describe a return to a correct or original state.
“The stolen painting was finally returned to its rightful owner.”
“After years of legal battles, the court decided she was the rightful heir to the family estate.”
“The restoration of the monarch was seen by many as a return to the rightful order of the state after a decade of political chaos.”
Typically used attributively before a noun like 'owner', 'place', or 'heir'.
Learners often confuse the adverb 'rightly' with the adjective 'rightful' when modifying a noun.
“Russia is the only country to formally recognise their rule, and they haven't been allowed to take up what they see as their rightful seat at the UN in New York.”
“They earned a reputation for helping themselves to whatever property they wanted as rightful spoils of war.”
From Middle English rightful, ryghtfull, riȝtful, from Old English *rihtfull (suggested by derivative unrihtfull (“unrightful”)), equivalent to right + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.