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
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:
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
Then came thick-cut, tableside-smoked bacon glazed with maple and peppercorn alongside a fig-topped heirloom tomato salad.
From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026
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
The parcel held her wedding dress, which had also been worn by her mother, an heirloom sari from her grandmother and wedding photos, among other items.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2025
I slice and slice, a basketful of strangely shaped heirloom tomatoes.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
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
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
Others are still discovering dollars in family heirlooms left by long-deceased relatives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026
“People my age are taking an interest in having heirlooms and traditional items,” Van Hulsen says as she points to a silver-plated trinket tray that holds her jewelry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 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
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.
