Meanings
- not comparableWithout an heir.
A number of Western European countries, led by Germany, carried out far-reaching measures to provide restitution of Nazi-looted properties in the aftermath of World War II, including setting up commissions to deal with heirless property and communal property illegally seized during the war.
2009 August 2, Dan Bilefsky, “Hurdles in Eastern Europe Thwart Restitution Claims”, in New York Times
Origin
- Middle Englisheireles
- Englishheirless
From Middle English eireles; equivalent to heir + -less.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἀκληρονόμητος
- ἀκληρονόμητος (aklēronómētos)without heirs
Greek ακληρονόμητος
- ακληρονόμητος (aklironómitos)without heirs
Polish bezdziedziczny
- bezdziedzicznywithout heirs
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
heirless. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heirless
“heirless.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heirless. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heirless,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heirless.
Source: heirless on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.