heirloom

/ˈɛə.luːm/

//ˈɛə.luːm// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"heirloom" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“heirloom” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #29,683. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#29,683
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A valued possession that has been passed down through the generations.

Key facts for heirloom
PropertyValue
Headwordheirloom
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛə.luːm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#29,683
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “heirloom” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). heirloom lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around heirloom (IPA /ˈɛə.luːm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #29,683 among 23,837 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for heirloom, with forms such as "ehirloom", "heilroom", and "heirlloom". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English heirlome (“heirloom”, literally “a tool or article passed to one's heirs”). By surface analysis, heir + loom. Displaced native Old English fæderġestrēon. The correct English form is heirloom, spelled H-E-I-R-L-O-O-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A valued possession that has been passed down through the generations.
  2. 2
    An old crop variety that has been passed down through generations of farmers by seed saving and cultivation, in contrast to modern cultivars used in large-scale agriculture.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English heirlome (“heirloom”, literally “a tool or article passed to one's heirs”). By surface analysis, heir + loom. Displaced native Old English fæderġestrēon.

This word in other languages

patrimonio(Español)patrimoine(Français)Erbstück(Deutsch)herança(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehirloom
  • heilroom
  • heirlloom
  • heirlom
  • heirlomo
  • heirloomm
  • heirolom
  • heirrloom
  • heriloom
  • hheirloom
  • hierloom

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of heirloom - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ehirloom2heilroom2heirlloom1heirlom1heirlomo2heirloomm1heirolom2heirrloom1
Edit distance from "heirloom"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "heirloom"?
"heirloom" is spelled H-E-I-R-L-O-O-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛə.luːm/.
What does "heirloom" mean?
As a noun, "heirloom" means: A valued possession that has been passed down through the generations.
What are common misspellings of "heirloom"?
Common misspellings include "ehirloom", "heilroom", "heirlloom", "heirlom", "heirlomo". The correct spelling is "heirloom".
How do you pronounce "heirloom"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "heirloom" is /ˈɛə.luːm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "heirloom"?
Inherited from Middle English heirlome (“heirloom”, literally “a tool or article passed to one's heirs”). By surface analysis, heir + loom. Displaced native Old English fæderġestrēon. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “heirloom”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-E-I-R-L-O-O-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɛə.luːm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list