(a) One who inherits, or is entitled to inherit, the property, title, honors, etc. of a dead man; an heir or heiress; fals ~; verrei ~; kind ~, natural heir; thirde ~, the third in descent; heires and assignes [see assigne n. 1.]; from ~ to ~; (b) one who is due to inherit when the present possessor dies; (c) a son or daughter; pl. sons, posterity; son (doughter) and ~; (d) a successor in a public or ecclesiastical office; heires and (or) successoures; (e) fig. one who gains some knowledge, quality, or reward.

(a) In phrases: ~ apparaunt (paraunt, of parand), apparent ~, heir apparent, one whose right to inherit is indefeasible if he survives his ancestor; ~ male, a male heir deriving his right through males; ~ femel, an heir deriving his or her right through a female line; ~ in the taille, heir of an entailed estate, etc.; hol ~, sole heir; nexte ~; right ~, true heir by descent or consanguinity, heir-at-law; (b) in combs. or cpds.: even ~, togeder ~, with ~, a co-heir.

?As surname.