Definition of heirloom
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
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Recent Examples of heirloom from the Web
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The charred eggplant enchiladas are crafted from heirloom-corn tortillas.
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Not all snap beans are green, and most modern varieties no longer have inedible strings holding together pods (although heirloom string beans still do).
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Quilts bridge the generations, often serving as treasured heirlooms passing from one generation to the next.
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And if there's an heirloom a client is really attached to, the sisters will find a place to display it.
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Last summer, with the help of his five kids, Nat harvested about 2,500 heirloom Bradford melons.
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DiModa is continuing the building's brunch tradition with plates like eggs Benedict with heirloom tomato ($12) and limoncello French toast ($12).
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Consider starting with Vietnamese imperial rolls stuffed with Duroc pork, shrimp and heirloom carrots.
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Lee worked eight years in South Korea as quality control, designer and inspector at Canada Clothing, and also worked for Martha Pullen & Co.designing patterns for heirloom dresses, doll dresses, and teddy bears suits.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heirloom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of heirloom
Middle English heirlome, from heir + lome implement — more at loom
HEIRLOOM Defined for English Language Learners
heirloom
playDefinition of heirloom for English Language Learners
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: a valuable object that is owned by a family for many years and passed from one generation to another
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: an old type of plant that is still available because individual people have continued to grow it for many years
HEIRLOOM Defined for Kids
heirloom
playDefinition of heirloom for Students
: a piece of personal property handed down in a family from one generation to another
Learn More about heirloom
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See words that rhyme with heirloom Spanish Central: Translation of heirloom Nglish: Translation of heirloom for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heirloom
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