0 the person with the automatic right to legally receive all or most of the money, property, titles, etc. from another person when they die:
1 the person who is likely to control a large company or organization after the person now in charge leaves:
The first senior is the prime's designated heir apparent.
Macduff tells the young heir apparent that he has a mistaken understanding of masculinity.
Uday believed that his status as heir apparent was threatened by the mistress.
Chamberlain was still spoken of as heir apparent, but feared being eclipsed by a younger man.
Anne became his heir apparent, since any children he might have by another wife were assigned to a lower place in the line of succession, and the two reconciled publicly.
The legitimated son can come in front of an heir presumptive, but not in front of an heir apparent.
It would pass from the current heir presumptive who is my younger brother, to my son who would become the heir apparent.
There is an example of the heir who cannot be ascertained until death— an heir apparent and an heir presumptive.
