Where does “heir” come from?

Heir comes from Middle English heir, from Anglo-Norman eir, from Latin heres meaning "heir" or "inheritor," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-.

heir (English): Someone who inherits, or is designated to...

Definitions

  1. Someone who inherits, or is designated to...

Ancestry of “heir”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishheirheir; Alternative form of her; Alternative form...
2Anglo-Normaneirheir
3Old Frenchheir
4Latinhērēsheir, heiress
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeh₁ro-derelict; an abandoned or forsaken person
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeh₁-to go, to walk

Words derived from “heir

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁ro-Every word from Latin hērēs
heir — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer