French Conversation · Level 34
75 words
French word
héritier
Pronunciation
IPA/eʁitje/
Meaning
- masculine nounheir
Example
L'héritier recevra la maison.
The heir will receive the house.
More examples
Nous avons découvert que l'héritier vivait à l'étranger.
We discovered that the heir was living abroad.
Core concept
A named successor at the end of a legal line, receiving property or status from someone who has died.
Common phrases
héritier de
heir to ___
héritier direct
direct heir
Similar words
héritage: The assets and belongings left as an inheritance.
succession: The legal procedure for settling an inheritance.
successeur: A person who assumes a position or role after its former holder.
Definition in French
Personne désignée par la loi ou par le testament pour recueillir la succession d'une autre personne décédée.
Word origin
Héritier developed through Old French from Late Latin hereditarius, which derives from Latin heres, 'heir', preserving the succession sense.
Usage tips
- The feminine form is héritière, so French changes the noun ending when the heir is female.