Nearby Words
noun
1.
a person who inherits or has a right of inheritance in the property of another following the latter's death.
2.
Law.
a.
b.
Civil Law. a person who legally succeeds to the place of a deceased person and assumes the rights and obligations of the deceased, as the liabilities for debts or the possessory rights to property.
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.
verb (used with object)
5.
Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to inherit; succeed to.
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Heirless
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To heirless
Collins
World English Dictionary
| heir (ɛə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | civil law the person legally succeeding to all property of a deceased person, irrespective of whether such person died testate or intestate, and upon whom devolves as well as the rights the duties and liabilities attached to the estate |
| 2. | any person or thing that carries on some tradition, circumstance, etc, from a forerunner |
| 3. | an archaic word for offspring |
| [C13: from Old French, from Latin hērēs; related to Greek khēros bereaved] | |
| 'heirless | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
heir
late 13c., from Anglo-Fr. heir, from O.Fr. hair, from L. heres (gen. heredis) "heir, heiress" (see heredity). Heir apparent (late 14c.) has the French order of noun-adj., though it was not originally so in English. It is the heir of one still alive whose right is clear.
EXPANDAfter death the heir apparent becomes the heir-at-law.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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