Heirloom
/ˈeə(r)luːm/noun
A valuable object passed down within a family from one generation to the next.
Did you know?In older English, an heirloom was often a precious object specifically tied to inheritance rights, so the word carried the weight of property, bloodline, and legacy all at once.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
ārlēoma
“An inherited object or family treasure; literally a 'legacy' or 'heir's relic' in early usage.”
Middle English
ME
erloom / heirlome
“A movable possession passed by inheritance, especially a family keepsake or valuable.”
Late Middle English
ME
heirloom
“The modernized spelling and sense of a treasured inherited object.”
Modern English
English
heirloom
“A valuable object handed down within a family across generations.”
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