Heir
Heir (âr) , noun
[Old English heir, eir, hair, Old French heir, eir, French hoir, Latin heres; of uncertain origin. Compare 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.
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.
Collocations (3)
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 , transitive verb
To inherit; to succeed to. [Rare]
One only daughter heired the royal state.