heirloom
An heirloom is a special item that's been passed down through generations of your family. Your grandmother's antique quilt could be an heirloom.
Heirlooms are often talked about when people share stories about their family history. If you ask someone to show you a photo, and they proudly say "This is my great-grandmother," the picture itself might be considered an heirloom. People also talk about heirlooms when they pass down items like jewelry or furniture from one generation to the next. For example, if your aunt says, "I inherited this locket from my mother," she's probably thinking of it as a family heirloom.
How common is "heirloom"?
Word heirloom is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in magazine texts and less often in other writings.
It appears most frequently in magazine texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
noun
A valued possession that has been passed down through the generations.
Real examples of "heirloom" in context
