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

(usually monarchy) Someone who will definitely inherit if surviving the one whose property is to be inherited.

(law) In the law of inheritance, an heir who is legally entitled to inherit the property of a person who has died, even though that heir is only distantly related to the deceased, and therefore has no reason to feel bereaved over the death.

(law) Synonym of heir-at-law

(law) Synonym of heir-at-law

(law) Alternative spelling of heir-at-law

(law) A person legally entitled to inherit the property of someone who dies intestate.

(law) Synonym of heir-at-law

(law) One whose right to inherit as heir is determined by customary modes of descent, such as gavelkind.

(law) A person who, under the laws of a particular jurisdiction, can not be disinherited, even by a will.