heir

CEFRB2

/ˈeː/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A person who will receive someone's property after death.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

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

Examples

  • The rich merchant adopted the boy and made him his heir.

  • Which prince is the legitimate heir to the throne?

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈiə̯/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

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

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

verb

Extra meaning

  1. To inherit.

More examples

In context

  • As the heir to the British throne, the Prince of Wales is a very public figure.

  • My brother is the heir to our childhood house and yet has no interest in it.

  • […] Leonard Houtz & John Myer to be executors to this my last will & testament & lastly my children shall heir equally, one as much as the other.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

As the only blank, he inherited the entire fortune.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English heir, from Anglo-Norman eir, heir, from Latin hērēs.