Heir

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Dictionary Meaning and Definition on 'Heir'
- heir
n
- a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another [syn: inheritor, heritor]
- a person who inherits some title or office [syn: successor]
- Heir \Heir\, v. t.
To inherit; to succeed to. [R.]
One only daughter heired the royal state. --Dryden.
- Heir \Heir\, n. [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L.
heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.]
- One who inherits, or is entitled to succeed to the possession of, any property after the death of its owner; one on whom the law bestows the title or property of another at the death of the latter. I am my father's heir and only son. --Shak.
- One who receives any endowment from an ancestor or relation; as, the heir of one's reputation or virtues. And I his heir in misery alone. --Pope. Heir apparent. (Law.) See under Apparent. Heir at law, one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate. --Wharton (Law Dict.). Heir presumptive, one who, if the ancestor should die immediately, would be his heir, but whose right to the inheritance may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative, or by some other contingency.
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Wikipedia Meaning and Definition on 'Heir'
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies. The rules of inheritance differ between societies and have changed over time.
In jurisdictions, an heir is a person who is entitled to receive a share of the decedent's property, via the rules of inheritance in the jurisdiction where the decedent died or owned property at the time of death. Strictly speaking, one becomes an heir only upon the death of the decedent. It is improper to speak of the "heir" of a living person, since the exact identity of the persons entitled to inherit are not determined until the time of death. In a case where an individual has such a position that only her/his own death before that of the decedent would prevent the individual from becoming an heir, the individual is called an heir apparent. There is a further concept of jointly inheriting, pending renunciation by all but one, which is called coparceny.
[See more about Heir at Dictionary 3.0 Encyclopedia]
Words and phrases related to 'Heir'
| Aftermath | Beneficiary | Breed | Brood | Children |
| Conclusion | Consequence | Coparcener | Descendant | Descendants |
| Descent | Dynasty | Effect | Family | Fruit |
'Heir' in famous quotation sentence
* To state the facts frankly is not to despair the future nor indict the past. The prudent heir takes careful inventory of his legacies and gives a faithful accounting to those whom he owes an obligation of trust. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy
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Heir Sample Sentences in News
- There's no heir to Jordan - Florida Times-Union
When Michael Jordan retired from the NBA (the third time … finally and completely) people used to ask “Who will be the next Jordan?” The question went beyond his five MVPs and six championships. Jordan ruled the NBA like a banana-republic ... Read more on this news related to 'Heir' - Derry Heir defeats Duck Hill Farm/Casa Azul in Aiken Cup - Aiken Standard
A late rally helped propel Derry Heir to an 8-6 victory over Duck Hill Farm/Casa Azul Friday afternoon in the Aiken Polo Club's Smoak Family Aiken Cup 8-goal tournament at Fox Nation West. Derry Heir was helped by Eddy Martinez's 7 goal performance, but it ... Read more on this news related to 'Heir' - Charles Windsor: prince, heir to the throne … weather forecaster - The Guardian
It was indeed, as the new weatherman on BBC Scotland pronounced, an unsettled – not to say unsettling – picture. The forecast was vile but the diction immaculate, as he predicted "a little hazy sunshine for the Castle of Mey in Caithness ... Read more on this news related to 'Heir'

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