heir apparent

noun

plural heirs apparent

1

: an heir whose right to an inheritance cannot be voided or undone except by exclusion under a valid will if the heir survives the ancestor

2

: heir presumptive

3

: one whose succession especially to a position or role appears certain under existing circumstances

Examples of heir apparent in a Sentence

The coach named her assistant as her heir apparent.

Recent Examples on the Web

The pendant was believed to have been created in 1518 to celebrate the betrothal of Henry and Katherine’s daughter Mary to the French heir apparent. —Reuters, NBC news, 10 Feb. 2026

His son Amadon, 35, is the heir apparent. —Jane Borden, Rolling Stone, 5 Feb. 2026

The longtime couple share 11-year-old twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, the latter of whom is the heir apparent to the throne. —Emma Banks, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026

Persico, 62, was the heir apparent to the crime family in 2023 when he was sentenced to five years behind bars for a labor union extortion plot. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for heir apparent

• aberrant
• declarant
• grandparent
• stepparent
• transparent
• errant
• parent
• semitransparent

Kids Definition

heir apparent

noun

plural heirs apparent

: an heir whose right to succeed (as to a throne) cannot be taken away if he or she outlives the present holder

Legal Definition

heir apparent

see also:

heir