heirloom.

1. A valued possession handed down through generations of a family.

2. A traditional variety of a crop or plant preserved through repeated cultivation, typically for many years.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• family heirloom
• treasured heirloom
• pass down an heirloom

On the page

The cracked watch was the only heirloom she chose to keep.

He sold an heirloom to repair the chapel roof.

A note inside the heirloom chest challenged the family's account of its origin.

Usage notes

Primary category: gothic. Value may be emotional or historical rather than monetary; not simply any inherited item. Plural heirlooms.