direct heir
First-in-line offspring
A direct heir is someone who inherits from a deceased person through a straight line of descent—children, grandchildren, or parents.
The term distinguishes those with immediate biological or legal family connection from collateral heirs like siblings, cousins, or nieces.
In legal contexts, direct heirs typically have priority in inheritance when no will exists: The estate passed to his direct heirs.
- firstbornFirst child born
- successorOne who replaces another
- birthrightEntitlement from origin
- primogenitureEldest inherits all
- crown princeMale successor to throne
royal succession · lineage · bloodline · line of descent · throne · eldest son · dynasty · legitimate · entitlement · patrimony · estate · family seat · descendant · offspring · rightful · legacy · silver spoon · scion
- offspringchild, baby, son, daughter, kids
- heirscoheirs, beneficiary, beneficiaries, successor, successors
- Royal Heirscrown prince, crown princess, next in line, successor, second in line
direct heirdistant cousin
third cousin · second cousin · great-great-grandchild · great-grandnephew
direct heirdisinherited
Excluded from inheritance
illegitimate heir · pretender · usurper · bastard · passed over
direct, directly, direction, directions, directional, directive, directives, director, directors