noun

heir

heir, successor

He is the sole heir to the family fortune.

He is the sole heir to the family fortune.

She was the heir apparent to the throne.

She was the heir apparent to the throne.

((sb.)) ((to sth.)) a person who inherits (sth.). He is the heir to a large estate.

Synonyms: successor, inheritor, beneficiary

From Old French 'oir', from Latin 'heres' (heir).

The 'h' is silent, so it sounds like 'air'. An heir inherits everything, like breathing in the 'air' of the family legacy.

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