noun
heir
EH-uh
noun
1
A person legally entitled to inherit someone's property, money, or title after they die.
"As the eldest son, he was the heir to the family estate."
"She's the sole heir to a shipping fortune."
2
Someone regarded as continuing or succeeding a predecessor's legacy in a non-legal sense.
"The young director is seen as the heir to the studio's golden age of filmmaking."
How to Use Heir
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone in line to inherit money, property, a title, or even a reputation.
Common mistake
The "h" is silent — it's pronounced like "air," not "hair."
Common pairings
heir to the throne
sole heir
rightful heir
Word Forms
heired past tense, heirs plural, heirs singular
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As the eldest son, he was the _____ to the family estate.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman heir, from Latin hērēs, meaning the same thing. The silent "h" survives from this French-Latin route into English.