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heiress

noun

heir·​ess ˈer-əs How to pronounce heiress (audio)
Synonyms of heiressnext
: a woman who is an heir especially to great wealth

Examples of heiress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That was owned by Mary Alice Dorrance Malone, the heiress to the Campbell’s Soup fortune. — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Test audiences hated the pilot, a shambolic, overly convoluted mess about a missing heiress. — Michael Callahan, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Barbara Hutton, née Woolworth and heiress to the Woolworth fortune, is still ensconced in her first-floor suite, packing and unpacking, unsure whether to stay or to go. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026 Season 17 concluded with Frank finding love on The Golden Bachelor with poultry heiress Sam, played by DeVito’s Emmy-winning Taxi costar Carol Kane. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heiress

Word History

Etymology

heir entry 1 + -ess

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heiress was in 1607

Phrases Containing heiress

Rhymes for heiress

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Browse Nearby Words

heirdom
heiress
heiress apparent
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Cite this Entry

“Heiress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heiress. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

heiress

noun
heir·​ess ˈar-əs How to pronounce heiress (audio)
ˈer-
: a girl or woman who is an heir

More from Merriam-Webster on heiress

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