heirloom
Americannoun
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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
Etymology
Origin of heirloom
First recorded in 1375–1425, heirloom is from the late Middle English word heirlome. See heir, loom 1
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.
As for the tchotchkes, they ran the gamut from tacky souvenir to sentimental heirloom.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
After that formative bowl, he founded Rancho Gordo in 2001 and hustled to get heirloom beans in front of anyone willing to try them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 10, 2026
"He bought a land cruiser he handed it down the family, he thought it was a very important family heirloom to pass down," William said.
From BBC • Nov. 25, 2025
In Hollister, underage siblings use sharp knives to cut and clean heirloom apricots that dry in the hot sun.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025
He lived out the remainder of his life in Azkaban, lamenting the loss of Marvolo’s last heirloom, and is buried beside the prison, alongside the other poor souls who have expired within its walls.”
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
