法律上已經定了的繼承人
這裡的「站在最前面」是法律認定的，不是別人猜的。
noun · C1
The person who will inherit a title, property or money, and whose right to it cannot be taken away from them by anyone who is born later, as long as they outlive the present holder.
法定繼承人
核心畫面
One way to hold this phrase is a line of people waiting, with one of them standing at the front where everybody can see. The word apparent is doing the work: it means the position is already out in the open, not something to be decided later. Nobody joining the line afterwards can step in front. That picture started in royal families, where the law made it true, and English later lent it to any place where one person clearly stands at the front of the line.
這個詞可以想成一排等著的人，其中一個站在最前面，所有人都看得到。關鍵在 apparent 這個字：位置已經擺在明面上…更多收起
這個詞可以想成一排等著的人，其中一個站在最前面，所有人都看得到。關鍵在 apparent 這個字：位置已經擺在明面上了，不是以後才要決定的事。後來才排進隊伍的人，也插不到他前面。這個畫面本來長在王室，因為法律真的這樣規定。英文後來把它借出去，用在任何一個「誰站在最前面大家心裡有數」的場合。From the word’s history
From Middle English heier apparaunt, a word-for-word translation of Middle French heritier apparent. French puts the describing word after the noun, and English kept that order when it borrowed the phrase, which is why apparent stands behind heir. Apparent here means open to view, already plain: the right is not in doubt.
來自中古英文 heier apparaunt，是照著中古法文 héritier apparent 一個字一個字翻過來的。法文的形容詞放在名詞後面，英文借的時候連語序一起搬走，所以 apparent 才站在 heir 的後面。apparent 在這裡的意思是「擺在明面上、看得出來」：這個繼承權沒有懸念。
Wiktionary entry for heir apparent, etymology_text supplied in this batch's evidence packet
Two branches
大家都看好的接班人
同一排隊伍搬到公司和球隊裡，但站在最前面這件事變成大家的共識，不是法律。
noun · C1
The person everyone expects to take over someone else's job or position when that person leaves.
接班人