heirloom

American  

[air-loom] / ˈɛərˌlum /

noun

• heirlooms
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• heirlooms
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heirloom heirlooms

A woman carrying two heirloom tomatoes could still plausibly claim to be shopping for dinner.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 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

We never had a family heirloom type of piece; my mother didn’t pass me down any, my grandmother didn’t have any.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 13, 2026

Over the next few days, Nathan drafted an experiment that would compare water consumption between Nali’s heirloom kernels that had been passed down to her through many generations and store-bought kernels.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

She also turned what used to be a gun closet into a “vault” filled with family heirlooms, including a typewriter, perfume, photos, jewelry and a flask.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

When I had to sell my mother’s house to fund her Alzheimer’s care, I stored all of her antiques, scrapbooks, photos and other family heirlooms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026

Glover has said he will take with him a Bible, his wedding rings and family heirlooms, along with a collection of inspirational quotations compiled by Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart.

From BBC ● Mar. 30, 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

There were gifts, heirlooms, and mementos we got to touch or see only at Christmas or Easter.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Related Words

• antique