Family / B2

AIR/eə/

An heir is the person who will inherit money, property, or a title: heir to the estate; heir apparent. Successor is wider (jobs too). Heir to the estate endowed a bursary. Pronunciation: /eə/ (sounds like air). Mix-up: hair. Feminine heir is still heir in modern legal English; heiress is dated in many style guides.

Meaning

A person who will receive money, property, or a title when someone dies.

Examples

• “The heir to the estate endowed a bursary for care leavers.”
• “She is heir apparent to the leadership, which is the political metaphor.”

Good to know

heir to; heir apparent. Wider: successor. Trap: hair (pronunciation /eə/). Wills, monarchy, and metaphors. Legal register.

Near in meaning

successor

Topics

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