heir-at-law

Meanings

• noun

  A person who, by law, is entitled to inherit the property of another person who dies without leaving a valid will.

  - "As the heir-at-law, she inherited the entire estate."
  - "The heir-at-law was determined through a lengthy legal process."

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Antonyms

legatee

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Synonyms

legal heir , statutory heir

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Variants

List of all variants of heir-at-law that leads to same result
heir at law , heirs at law

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

The term 'heir-at-law' is derived from Old English 'heafodhier' meaning 'head of a family' and 'at law' meaning 'under the jurisdiction of the law'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The term 'heir-at-law' is also used in the context of adoption, where the adopted child is referred to as the heir-at-law of the adoptive parent.

2. In some jurisdictions, the term 'heir apparent' is used instead of 'heir-at-law' to refer to the person who is next in line to inherit the property.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. Intestate: A person who dies without a valid will is said to have died intestate. In such cases, the heir-at-law is determined based on the laws of intestacy.

2. Testate: A person who dies with a valid will is said to have died testate. In such cases, the property is distributed according to the instructions in the will, and the concept of an heir-at-law is not applicable.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

In literature, the concept of an heir-at-law often appears in stories involving inheritance disputes and family drama. For example, Shakespeare's 'King Lear' explores the themes of inheritance and the responsibilities of heirs-at-law.

How to Memorize "heir-at-law"

1. visualize
   

   - Visualize a family tree with the heir-at-law at the bottom, receiving the inheritance from the deceased at the top.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the term 'heir-at-law' with the concept of 'inheritance' and 'family'.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Use the mnemonic 'Heirs Are Loved' to remember the meaning of heir-at-law.

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