TERMIUM Plus®
From: Translation Bureau
On social media
Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.
LEGAL HEIR [4 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2013-10-23
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Law of Succession (civil law)
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- ab intestate heir
1, record 1, English, ab%20intestate%20heir
correct, Quebec
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
- ab-instestate heir 2, record 1, English, ab%2Dinstestate%20heir
correct
- legal heir 3, record 1, English, legal%20heir
correct, Quebec
- heir in law 4, record 1, English, heir%20in%20law
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 CONT
In all events, when an ab-intestate heir predeceased the testator, the share of that heir that he would have obtained, had he been alive, will be obtained by his/her legal descendants, in accordance with the rules of law. 2, record 1, English, - ab%20intestate%20heir
Record 1, Key term(s)
- abintestate heir
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Droit successoral (droit civil)
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- héritier ab intestat
1, record 1, French, h%C3%A9ritier%20ab%20intestat
correct, masculine noun, Quebec
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- héritier légal 2, record 1, French, h%C3%A9ritier%20l%C3%A9gal
correct, masculine noun, Quebec
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Personne appelée à recueillir une succession en vertu de la loi seule, en absence d'un testament. 3, record 1, French, - h%C3%A9ritier%20ab%20intestat
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
En doit civil, «ab intestat» se dit d'une succession dont les biens sont attribués aux héritiers selon les règles fixées par le législateur lorsque le défunt n'a pas laissé de testament ou, lorsqu'ayant rédigé un testament, celui-ci est nul ou caduc. 4, record 1, French, - h%C3%A9ritier%20ab%20intestat
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Derecho hereditario (derecho civil)
Record 1, Main entry term, Spanish
- heredero ab intestato
1, record 1, Spanish, heredero%20ab%20intestato
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 1, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
[Heredero] que percibe una herencia por mandato legal a causa de haber fallecido sin otorgar testamento la persona de quien debe heredar. 1, record 1, Spanish, - heredero%20ab%20intestato
Record 2 - internal organization data 2013-04-15
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- PAJLO
- Property Law (common law)
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- expectancy
1, record 2, English, expectancy
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
An expectancy or chance is a mere hope, unfounded in any limitation, provision, trust, or legal act whatever; such as the hope which an heir apparent has of succeeding to the ancestor's estate. This is sometimes said to be a bare or mere possibility, and, at other times, less than a possibility. It is a possibility in the popular sense of the term. But it is less than a possibility in the specific sense of the term possibility. For, it is no right at all, in contemplation of law, even by possibility; because, in the case of a mere expectancy, nothing has been done to create an obligation in any event; and where there is no obligation, there can be no right....(Fearne, 10th ed., 1844, pp. 23-24) 1, record 2, English, - expectancy
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- PAJLO
- Droit des biens et de la propriété (common law)
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- expectative
1, record 2, French, expectative
correct, feminine noun, standardized
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
expectative : terme normalisé par le Comité de normalisation dans le cadre du Programme national de l'administration de la justice dans les deux langues officielles (PAJLO). 2, record 2, French, - expectative
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record 3 - internal organization data 2013-04-08
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- PAJLO
- Property Law (common law)
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- mere possibility
1, record 3, English, mere%20possibility
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
- naked possibility 1, record 3, English, naked%20possibility
correct
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
A bare chance or expectation of acquiring a property or succeeding to an estate in the future, but without any present right in or to it which the law would recognize as an estate or interest. (Black, 5th, p. 1049) 1, record 3, English, - mere%20possibility
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 OBS
(W) hat is termed a bare or mere possibility signifies nothing more than an expectancy, which is specifically applied to a mere hope of succession, unfounded in any limitation, provision, trust, or legal act whatever; such as the hope which an heir apparent or presumptive has of succeeding to the ancestor's estate.("Words and Phrases/U. S. ", Vol. 33, p. 114) 1, record 3, English, - mere%20possibility
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- PAJLO
- Droit des biens et de la propriété (common law)
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- simple possibilité
1, record 3, French, simple%20possibilit%C3%A9
correct, feminine noun, standardized
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 OBS
simple possibilité : terme normalisé par le Comité de normalisation dans le cadre du Programme national de l'administration de la justice dans les deux langues officielles (PAJLO). 2, record 3, French, - simple%20possibilit%C3%A9
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Record 4 - internal organization data 2012-11-30
Record 4, English
Record 4, Subject field(s)
- PAJLO
- Property Law (common law)
- Law of Estates (common law)
Record 4, Main entry term, English
- distributive share
1, record 4, English, distributive%20share
correct
Record 4, Abbreviations, English
Record 4, Synonyms, English
Record 4, Textual support, English
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
The share or portion which a given heir receives on the legal distribution of an intestate estate....(Black's, 5th ed., 1979, p. 427) 1, record 4, English, - distributive%20share
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The balance of the estate, after the wife has taken her preferential share, is called the residue. The residue is divided into distributive shares. (Rocchi, Guide to Wills and Estate Planning in Canada, 1978, p. 31) 1, record 4, English, - distributive%20share
Record 4, French
Record 4, Domaine(s)
- PAJLO
- Droit des biens et de la propriété (common law)
- Droit successoral (common law)
Record 4, Main entry term, French
- quote-part successorale ordinaire
1, record 4, French, quote%2Dpart%20successorale%20ordinaire
correct, feminine noun, standardized
Record 4, Abbreviations, French
Record 4, Synonyms, French
Record 4, Textual support, French
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 OBS
quote-part successorale ordinaire : terme normalisé par le Comité de normalisation dans le cadre du Programme de l'administration de la justice dans les deux langues officielles (PAJLO). 2, record 4, French, - quote%2Dpart%20successorale%20ordinaire
Record 4, Spanish
Record 4, Textual support, Spanish
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)
Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.
Writing tools
The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies
Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified:


