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heir
10 dictionary results for: Heir
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
heir 
[air] Pronunciation Key
—Related forms
[air] Pronunciation Key –noun
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property of another following the latter's death. |
| 2. | Law.
|
| 3. | a person who inherits or is entitled to inherit the rank, title, position, etc., of another. |
| 4. | a person or group considered as inheriting the tradition, talent, etc., of a predecessor. |
| 5. | Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to inherit; succeed to. |
[Origin: 1225–75; ME eir, heir < OF < L héréd- (s. of hérés); akin to Gk chêros bereaved]
] —Related forms
heirless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| heir
(âr) Pronunciation Key
n.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin hērēs; see ghē- in Indo-European roots.] |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
heir
heir
c.1275, from Anglo-Fr. heir, from O.Fr. hair, from L. heres (gen. heredis) "heir, heiress" (see heredity). Heir apparent (1375) has the Fr. order of noun-adj., though it was not originally so in Eng. It is the heir of one still alive whose right is clear. After death the heir apparent becomes the heir-at-law.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| heir | |
noun | |
| 1. | a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another |
| 2. | a person who inherits some title or office [syn: successor] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This
Heir
A person who inherits some or all of the estate of a recently deceased person. The legal successor is usually selected because they are related to the deceased by a direct bloodline or have been designated in a will or by a legal authority.
Investopedia Commentary
Originating in feudal times, the heir was usually the oldest male child in the family.
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Inherited Retirement Plan Assets - Part 2
See also: Escheat, Inheritance
Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This
heir
- A person who by will or statutory law receives or is scheduled to receive a portion or all of the assets of an estate.
Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: heir
Pronunciation: 'ar
Function: noun
: one who inherits or is entitled to succeed to the possession of property after the death of its owner: as a : one who by operation of law inherits the property and esp. the real property of a person who dies without leaving a valid will —used in jurisdictions whose law is based on English common law called also heir at law heir general legal heir —compare ISSUE b in the civil law of Louisiana : one who succeeds to the estate of a person by will or esp. by operation of law —see also INTESTACY, UNWORTHY —compare ANCESTOR, DEVISEE, LEGATEE, NEXT OF KIN, SUCCESSOR
apparent heir
: HEIR APPARENT in this entry
beneficiary heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who exercises the benefit of inventory which limits the amount of his or her liability for the decedent's debts
bod·i·ly heir
: HEIR OF THE BODY in this entry
forced heir
: an heir who cannot be disinherited except for causes recognized by law; especially in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who because of youth or mental or physical infirmity cannot care for himself or herself and who cannot be deprived of his or her lawful portion of the decedent's estate by disinherison without just cause —see also LEGITIME
heir ab in·tes·ta·to
/-"ab-"in-tes-'tA-tO, -"äb-"in-tes-'tä-tO/
; plural heirs ab intestato
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir that takes only by operation of the laws governing intestate succession
heir apparent
; plural heirs apparent
: an heir whose right to an inheritance cannot be voided or undone except by exclusion under a valid will if he or she survives the ancestor called also apparent heir —compare HEIR PRESUMPTIVE in this entry
heir at law
: HEIR a
heir general
; plural heirs general
: HEIR a
heir in tail
: an heir to a fee-tail estate called also heir of entail
heir of the body
: an heir who is a lineal descendant esp. as contrasted with a collateral descendant called also bodily heir
heir presumptive
; plural heirs presumptive
: an heir whose right to inherit may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative or by exclusion under a valid will called also presumptive heir —compare HEIR APPARENT in this entry
instituted heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who is named in the will but whose legacy will fall to a substitute legatee under a vulgar substitution in the event that he or she refuses the legacy or dies before the testator called also instituted legatee
irregular heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who inherits a right of action to the estate as distinguished from seisin
NOTE: This class of heirs was eliminated as of January 1, 1982. Formerly, a decedent's illegitimate children and spouse were considered irregular heirs.
legal heir
: HEIR a; specifically in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who receives seisin immediately after the death of the intestate by operation of law —compare IRREGULAR HEIR in this entry
NOTE: Prior to 1982 the Louisiana Civil Code distinguished between legal and irregular heirs who were required to go through an additional procedure in order to receive possession of the property. This division of heirs was eliminated in the 1981 revision of the Civil Code.
natural heir
: an heir (as a child) whose status as an heir arises from esp. close blood relationship as distinguished from one (as the state) whose status arises by operation of statute
presumptive heir
: HEIR PRESUMPTIVE in this entry
pretermitted heir
: a descendant of a testator who would be an heir under the laws of intestacy but who is not named to take under the will
NOTE: Most states have statutes requiring a share of the estate to go to a pretermitted heir on the assumption that the omission was unintentional.
right heir
1 : an heir by blood
2 : the particular heir granted or devised an estate tail as distinguished from the heirs in general
testamentary heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who inherits under a will —heir·less adjective —heir·ship noun
Main Entry: heir
Pronunciation: 'ar
Function: noun
: one who inherits or is entitled to succeed to the possession of property after the death of its owner: as a : one who by operation of law inherits the property and esp. the real property of a person who dies without leaving a valid will —used in jurisdictions whose law is based on English common law called also heir at law heir general legal heir —compare ISSUE b in the civil law of Louisiana : one who succeeds to the estate of a person by will or esp. by operation of law —see also INTESTACY, UNWORTHY —compare ANCESTOR, DEVISEE, LEGATEE, NEXT OF KIN, SUCCESSOR
apparent heir
: HEIR APPARENT in this entry
beneficiary heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who exercises the benefit of inventory which limits the amount of his or her liability for the decedent's debts
bod·i·ly heir
: HEIR OF THE BODY in this entry
forced heir
: an heir who cannot be disinherited except for causes recognized by law; especially in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who because of youth or mental or physical infirmity cannot care for himself or herself and who cannot be deprived of his or her lawful portion of the decedent's estate by disinherison without just cause —see also LEGITIME
heir ab in·tes·ta·to
/-"ab-"in-tes-'tA-tO, -"äb-"in-tes-'tä-tO/
; plural heirs ab intestato
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir that takes only by operation of the laws governing intestate succession
heir apparent
; plural heirs apparent
: an heir whose right to an inheritance cannot be voided or undone except by exclusion under a valid will if he or she survives the ancestor called also apparent heir —compare HEIR PRESUMPTIVE in this entry
heir at law
: HEIR a
heir general
; plural heirs general
: HEIR a
heir in tail
: an heir to a fee-tail estate called also heir of entail
heir of the body
: an heir who is a lineal descendant esp. as contrasted with a collateral descendant called also bodily heir
heir presumptive
; plural heirs presumptive
: an heir whose right to inherit may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative or by exclusion under a valid will called also presumptive heir —compare HEIR APPARENT in this entry
instituted heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who is named in the will but whose legacy will fall to a substitute legatee under a vulgar substitution in the event that he or she refuses the legacy or dies before the testator called also instituted legatee
irregular heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who inherits a right of action to the estate as distinguished from seisin
NOTE: This class of heirs was eliminated as of January 1, 1982. Formerly, a decedent's illegitimate children and spouse were considered irregular heirs.
legal heir
: HEIR a; specifically in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who receives seisin immediately after the death of the intestate by operation of law —compare IRREGULAR HEIR in this entry
NOTE: Prior to 1982 the Louisiana Civil Code distinguished between legal and irregular heirs who were required to go through an additional procedure in order to receive possession of the property. This division of heirs was eliminated in the 1981 revision of the Civil Code.
natural heir
: an heir (as a child) whose status as an heir arises from esp. close blood relationship as distinguished from one (as the state) whose status arises by operation of statute
presumptive heir
: HEIR PRESUMPTIVE in this entry
pretermitted heir
: a descendant of a testator who would be an heir under the laws of intestacy but who is not named to take under the will
NOTE: Most states have statutes requiring a share of the estate to go to a pretermitted heir on the assumption that the omission was unintentional.
right heir
1 : an heir by blood
2 : the particular heir granted or devised an estate tail as distinguished from the heirs in general
testamentary heir
in the civil law of Louisiana : an heir who inherits under a will —heir·less adjective —heir·ship noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Heir
Heir\, n. [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L. heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.]1. 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. 2. 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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Heir
Heir\, v. t. To inherit; to succeed to. [R.] One only daughter heired the royal state. --Dryden.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Heir
Under the patriarchs the property of a father was divided among the sons of his legitimate wives (Gen. 21:10; 24:36; 25:5), the eldest son getting a larger portion than the rest. The Mosaic law made specific regulations regarding the transmission of real property, which are given in detail in Deut. 21:17; Num. 27:8; 36:6; 27:9-11. Succession to property was a matter of right and not of favour. Christ is the "heir of all things" (Heb. 1:2; Col. 1:15). Believers are heirs of the "promise," "of righteousness," "of the kingdom," "of the world," "of God," "joint heirs" with Christ (Gal 3:29; Heb. 6:17; 11:7; James 2:5; Rom. 4:13; 8:17).
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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