heirnoun
uk/eər/us/er/C2 [ C ] a person who will legally receive money, property, or a title from another person, especially an older member of the same family, when that other person dies:
The guest of honour was the Romanov heir to the throne of all Russia.
Despite having a large family, they still had no son and heir.
See also
heiress
[ C usually singular ] someone who now has responsibility for dealing with a problem or situation that existed or was created earlier:
The French finance minister is heir to a tradition of central control that goes back to Louis XIV.
[ C usually singular ] someone who continues to do the work of someone important who has died, or someone who has the same position as the previous person who held that position
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Inheriting & bequeathing
- advance directive
- beneficiary
- bequeath
- bequest
- codicil
- cut
- heiress
- heirloom
- inheritor
- intestate
- last will and testament
- leave
- legacy
- pass
- residue
- settle sth on sb
- settle your affairs idiom
- survivor
- testament
- transfer
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Replacing and exchanging