Main Entry:

heir·loom

Pronunciation:

\ˈer-ˌlüm\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English heirlome, from heir + lome implement — more at loom

Date:

15th century

1 : a piece of property that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance of real property 2 : something of special value handed on from one generation to another 3 : a horticultural variety that has survived for several generations usually due to the efforts of private individuals