Heir

Pronunciation: /ɛr/

Definitions of heir

noun a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property of another

Example Sentences

A1 The heir to the throne is the prince.

A2 She is the heir to her grandmother's estate.

B1 The company's heir is being groomed to take over the business.

B2 The heir apparent is next in line for the title.

C1 The heir to the fortune was surprised by the size of the inheritance.

C2 The heir presumptive is expected to inherit the family business.

Examples of heir in a Sentence

formal The eldest son is the heir to the family fortune.

informal He's the one who's going to inherit everything.

slang He's next in line for all the cash.

figurative As the chosen successor, he is the heir to the throne.

Grammatical Forms of heir

• past tense: inherited
• plural: heirs
• comparative: more heir
• superlative: most heir
• present tense: heirs
• future tense: will inherit
• perfect tense: has inherited
• continuous tense: is inheriting
• singular: heir
• positive degree: heir
• infinitive: to inherit
• gerund: inheriting
• participle: inherited

Origin and Evolution of heir

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'heir' originated from the Old French word 'eir' or 'heir', which came from the Latin word 'heres' meaning 'heir, heiress'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'heir' has retained its original meaning of someone who inherits property or title from a deceased relative, but it has also come to be used more broadly to refer to anyone who inherits something from a predecessor.