heir Hear it!

heir definition

heir (er)

noun

  1. a person who inherits or is legally entitled to inherit, through the natural action of the law, another's property or title upon the other's death
  2. anyone who receives property of a deceased person either by will or by law
  3. a person who appears to get some trait from, or carries on in the tradition of, a predecessor

Etymology: ME < OFr < L heres: see heredity

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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