Phrase guide

heir presumptive

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone who will become an heir (usually to a monarchy) only if no-one with a higher-ranking claim is born.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a person who expects to inherit but whose right can be defeated by the birth of a nearer relative

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: heir apparent

Broader terms: heir, inheritor, heritor

History

Etymology

A calque of French héritier présomptif, hence the unusual order of adjective following noun.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 假定繼承人 /假定继承人 (jiǎdìng jìchéngrén) — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Finnish: kruununperijä — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • French: héritier présomptif — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Greek: επίδοξος κληρονόμος (epídoxos klironómos) — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Greek: πιθανός κληρονόμος (pithanós klironómos) — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Indonesian: ahli waris sementara — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Irish: tánaiste — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Italian: erede presuntivo — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Italian: erede presuntiva — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Polish: domniemany następca — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Spanish: heredero presunto — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Spanish: heredera presunta — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born
  • Welsh: etifedd tebygol — one who inherits if no one with a higher-ranking claim is born