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

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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

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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

There’s something about an apple orchard that’s just suffused with nostalgia, especially if the trees bear heirloom fruits.

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 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

Then came thick-cut, tableside-smoked bacon glazed with maple and peppercorn alongside a fig-topped heirloom tomato salad.

From Salon ● Mar. 7, 2026

Everything feels different now, thanks to an heirloom Porsche that I destroyed.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

“At that point I remember being quasi-hysterical and sobbing, saying, ‘What happens to all of those lost items ... that are precious heirlooms in David’s Bridal boxes?’” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

If you haven’t noticed, recent months have been replete with stories of heirlooms being walked out of poorly secured French museums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

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

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

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