HEIR

heir, inheritor, heritor

(noun) a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another

successor, heir

(noun) a person who inherits some title or office

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

heir

Someone who inherits, or is designated to inherit, the property of another.

One who inherits, or has been designated to inherit, a hereditary title or office.

A successor in a role, representing continuity with the predecessor.

Synonyms

• (one who inherits property): beneficiary (law), inheritor

• (one who inherits title): inheritor

• (successor in a role): See also successor

Verb

heir (third-person singular simple present heirs, present participle heiring, simple past and past participle heired)

(ambitransitive) To inherit.

Anagrams

• Hire, ReHi, hire, rehi

Source: Wiktionary

Heir, n. Etym: [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L. heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.]

1. One who inherits, or is entitled to succeed to the possession of, any property after the death of its owner; one on whom the law bestows the title or property of another at the death of the latter. I am my father's heir and only son. Shak.

2. One who receives any endowment from an ancestor or relation; as, the heir of one's reputation or virtues. And I his heir in misery alone. Pope. Heir apparent. (Law.) See under Apparent.

– Heir at law, one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate. Wharton (Law Dict.).

– Heir presumptive, one who, if the ancestor should die immediately, would be his heir, but whose right to the inheritance may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative, or by some other contingency.

Heir, v. t.

Definition: To inherit; to succeed to. [R.] One only daughter heired the royal state. Dryden.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition