heirloom

American  

[air-loom] / ˈɛərˌlum /

noun

1. a family possession handed down from generation to generation.

2. Law. property neither personal nor real that descends to the heir of an estate as part of the real property.

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adjective

1. noting or relating to an old plant variety that is being cultivated again.

   heirloom vegetables and fruits.

heirloom British  

/ ˈɛəˌluːm /

noun

1. an object that has been in a family for generations

2. property law a chattel inherited by special custom or in accordance with the terms of a will

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Etymology

Origin of heirloom

First recorded in 1375–1425, heirloom is from the late Middle English word heirlome. See heir, loom ¹

Example Sentences

We reached for bread that pulls apart like buttery clouds, cakes that lean dense and generous, desserts that feel like heirlooms but behave with a little mischief.

From Salon

So many of the heirlooms I lost are irreplaceable, like the ones from my grandmother and my mom, who are no longer with us.

From Los Angeles Times

Kimchi recipes are passed down "like heirlooms", she adds.

From BBC

"We hope that whoever is lucky enough to win one of the stockings at auction will pass it down as a family heirloom to be treasured for decades to come," she added.

From BBC

The trusts are stuffed with everything from stocks, bonds and cash to ski lodges and family heirlooms.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• antique