heirloom

noun

heir·​loom ˈer-ˌlüm 

1

: a piece of property (such as a deed or charter) that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance of real property

2

: something of special value handed down from one generation to another

The pin she's wearing is a family heirloom.

3

: a variety of plant that has originated under cultivation and that has survived for several generations usually due to the efforts of private individuals

heirloom tomatoes

Examples of heirloom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Prince Harry reportedly gifted the heirloom to his wife, and she was first seen wearing it publicly in 2020. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 10 Feb. 2025

Special Items Whether antiques, cherished knickknacks, or heirlooms, items that are very delicate and/or precious to the customer are typically items house cleaners won’t want to mess with in order to cut down the risk of damaging them. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025

With Table, Brandon Capps, owner of New Image, set out to bring Spain’s tapas culture to his brewpub with elevated bites like focaccia with heirloom tomatoes and gnocchi with summer squash. —Sara Rosenthal, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2025

In New York, Casa Bosques’s Rafael Prieto painstakingly molds heirloom cacao and organic cane sugar into a chocolate domino set wrapped in gold foil. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ayre lome, heyr lome, from ayre, heyr heir entry 1 + lome "implement" — more at loom entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

heirloom

noun

heir·​loom ˈa(ə)r-ˌlüm 

ˈe(ə)r-

: a piece of personal property handed down from generation to generation