heirloom
Americannoun
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heirlooms
plural
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a family possession handed down from generation to generation.
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Law. property neither personal nor real that descends to the heir of an estate as part of the real property.
adjective
noun
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an object that has been in a family for generations
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property law a chattel inherited by special custom or in accordance with the terms of a will
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heirloom
First recorded in 1375–1425, heirloom is from the late Middle English word heirlome. See heir, loom 1
Explanation
An heirloom is something passed down in a family for generations. Your grandma's prized necklace could be an heirloom. If you know that an heir is a younger person in a family who will inherit things when relatives die, you have a clue to the meaning of heirloom. An heirloom is a special thing that's handed down, sometimes through a will, but often just from person to person. A portrait of an ancestor could be an heirloom. Many families pass down heirloom jewelry. If you hear someone say, "This belonged to my great-great-grandfather" they're probably talking about an heirloom.
Vocabulary lists containing heirloom
The Crossover
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
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Lesson 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A woman carrying two heirloom tomatoes could still plausibly claim to be shopping for dinner.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
Of all the things I expected to encounter between the heirloom tomatoes and artisanal honey, rendered animal fat marketed as skincare wasn’t one of them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
He grows about 60 different crops, including herbs such as rosemary and thyme, heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers, and pick-your-own strawberries and flowers.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
As for the tchotchkes, they ran the gamut from tacky souvenir to sentimental heirloom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
It gave him a little thrill, knowing that his very presence could upset someone’s walk or their afternoon searching for craft toilet paper holders and heirloom tomatoes.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Although the house is older, needs repairs, and is filled with family heirlooms, I have no idea what to do with it.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
The waiting list for Masters tickets has been closed for decades and patron badges are passed down through families like heirlooms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
And so they walk away from family heirlooms, basic necessities, and the vital documents required to rebuild their lives.
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2026
Another victim, Anna Woodman, believes she lost thousands of pounds worth of items in total, including jewellery, heirlooms and sound equipment.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026
It has been treasured by his heirs when all other heirlooms were lost; for it was spoken of old among us that it should be made again when the Ring, Isildur’s Bane, was found.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
