inheritor
(ɪnˈhɛrɪtə(r))
Forms: see inherit; 5–6 -er, -oure, 5–7 -our, 6 -ar, 5– -or.
[The orig. type, as in heritor, was prob. enheriter, corr. to an OF. *enheritier (cf. heritier), f. enheriter to inherit. The change of suffix was app. AFr. or Eng., under the influence of agent-nouns, etymologically in -our, repr. L. -ātōrem.]
1. lit. One who inherits, or is heir to, an estate, title, etc. on the decease of the former possessor; an heir.
| 1433 Lydg. St. Edmund iii. 1464 Pray for th'enherytour off Ingelond and France. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 36 The saide king Edwarde weddid dam Isabel king Charles of Fraunce daughter..enheriter of Fraunce. 1494 Fabyan Chron. i. xxii. 17, Iago or Lago..as next Inherytor, was made gouernour of Brytayne. 1538 Starkey England i. iv. 113 They are sure to be inherytarys to a grete porcyon of intaylyd land. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 158 b, Because the kynge was not the true enheritor to the crowne. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. i. iv, Born inheritors of the dignity. 1791 Cowper Iliad ix. 595 Inheritor of all his large demesnes. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop vii, You became the sole inheritor of the wealth of this rich old hunks. |
b. One who inherits a quality or immaterial possession; one who inherits a disease or defect.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon clxiii. 640 Huon of Burdeaux, my dere father, the great paines and pouertes that ye were wonte to suffer ye haue left me, now enheryter to the same. 1668 Hale Pref. Rolle's Abridgm. c j b, The inheritor of his Father's vertues as well as of his Possessions. 1797 Burke Regic. Peace iii. Wks. VIII. 314 The new emperour, the inheritor of so much glory, and placed in a situation of so much delicacy, and difficulty for the preservation of that inheritance. 1861 Bumstead Ven. Dis. (1879) 735 In case of excessive activity of the disease in the first inheritor, it may appear even in the third generation. 1875 Whitney Life Lang. vii. 119 The inheritors and continuers of a common civilization. |
2. transf. and fig. One who comes into possession of, or is entitled to, something, to be held by him as of lawful right. Often in reference to spiritual possessions: cf. inheritance 4.
| c 1440 Gesta Rom. ii. xxxiii. 352 (Add. MS.) Blissed be the poore of sprite, for enheriters of the kyngdom of heven. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 69 Called to be enherytours of the celestiall empire. 1548–9 Bk. Com. Prayer, Catechism, In my Baptisme, wherein I was made..the childe of God, and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iv. iii. 34 Meane time, but thinke how I may do the good, And be inheritor of thy desire. 1611 Bible Isa. lxv. 9, I will bring forth a seede out of Iacob, and out of Iudah an inheritour of my mountains. 1837 J. S. B. Monsell ‘God of that glorious gift of Grace’ v, Possessor here of grace and love; Inheritor of Heaven above! |