The Collaborative International Dictionary
Heir \Heir\ ([^a]r), n. [OE. heir, eir, hair, OF. heir, eir, F. hoir, L. heres; of uncertain origin. Cf. Hereditary, Heritage.]
-
One who inherits, or is entitled to succeed to the possession of, any property after the death of its owner; one on whom the law bestows the title or property of another at the death of the latter.
I am my father's heir and only son.
--Shak. -
One who receives any endowment from an ancestor or relation; as, the heir of one's reputation or virtues.
And I his heir in misery alone.
--Pope.Heir apparent. (Law.) See under Apparent.
Heir at law, one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate.
--Wharton (Law Dict.).Heir presumptive, one who, if the ancestor should die immediately, would be his heir, but whose right to the inheritance may be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative, or by some other contingency.
Wiktionary
n. (context usually monarchy English) Someone who will inherit only if no better choice for an heir is born.
WordNet
n. a person who expects to inherit but whose right can be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative [ant: heir apparent]
Wikipedia
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent, male or female, or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. The position is however subject to law and/or conventions that may alter who is entitled to be heir presumptive.
Depending on the rules of the monarchy the heir presumptive might be the daughter of a monarch (if males take priority over females and the monarch has no sons), or the senior member of a collateral line (if the monarch is childless); the birth of a legitimate child to the monarch will displace the former heir presumptive by a new heir apparent or heir presumptive. It is not assumed that the monarch and his or her consort are incapable of having further children; the day before Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain ascended the throne her father was gravely ill and her mother was in her early 50s, but Elizabeth was still considered the heiress presumptive rather than the heir apparent.
Heir presumptive, like heir apparent, is not a title or position per se. Rather, it is a general term for a person who holds a certain place in the order of succession. In some monarchies, the heir apparent bears, ipso facto, a specific title and rank (e.g., Denmark, Netherlands, United Kingdom), this also sometimes being the case for noble titleholders (e.g., Spain, United Kingdom), but the heir presumptive does not bear that title. In other monarchies (e.g., Monaco, Spain) the heir to the throne bears a specific title (i.e., "Hereditary Prince/Princess of Monaco", "Prince/Princess of Asturias") by right, regardless of whether she or he is heir apparent or heir presumptive.
An heir can fail to inherit for other reasons than displacement, for example by death or incapacity of the heir, abolition of the title, or changes to the rules of inheritance.
Usage examples of "heir presumptive".
Nigel occupied the chair at the opposite end of the table, as heir presumptive, with Conall as an unofficial observer at his right.
Knight-General of the King's Armies, heir presumptive to the throne of Rillanon.
In 10077, Duke Minos died suddenly chok mg on a piece of beef and his eldest son Paulos succeeded Mintor the next eldest son, was heir presumptive but never expected to reach the throne since his brother was young vigorous and likely to have children of his own Therefore, he requested his brother's permission to represent the Duchy as a roving ambassador and to receive imh tary training at various academies throughout the Imperium His request was readily granted He spent the next ten years learning about weapons, shields, self defense politics and bull-fighting One of his companions from that period recalls He was loll, not quite handsome, a bit of a rake .