nounWord forms: pluralheredes or haeredes (hɪˈriːdiːz)
civil law
an heir
Word origin
from Latin
heir in British English
(ɛə)
noun
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