# "Heirloom" -- why "loom"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 4, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703 "2007-01-04T17:14:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/1 "2007-01-04T17:14:13Z")

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Meditating on this word, it’s clear where the “heir” part comes in – Random House says that the “loom” comes from the weaving implement, but doesn’t go explain why a “loom” should come to be the distinctive tool handed down. Why not “heirplow” or something like that?

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**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/2 "2007-01-04T17:18:21Z")

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Random House is wrong - the original meaning of ‘loom’ was just a generic ‘tool’.

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/3 "2007-01-04T17:21:39Z")

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Loom used to be a generic term for “tool or implement of any kind.” It wasn’t specific to weaving.

A heirloom therefore was a physical piece, rather than money or titles, that was inherited or passed down to later generations.

It’s analogous to woman, in which the “man” once meant generic human being, not specifically a male.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/4 "2007-01-04T17:36:18Z")

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Makes sense! Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/5 "2007-01-04T17:42:20Z")

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**goes back and looks at dictionary again**

Hm, maybe I was supposed to look at the _etymology_ of “loom,” which does make it clear it comes from the Middle English from the Old English for tool or implement.

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**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heirloom-why-loom/386703/6 "2007-01-04T17:52:41Z")

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My American Heritage dictionary just says the word comes from the Middle English “heirlome.” I also found this on the Web:

heirloom  
1472, ayre lome, from heir (q.v.) + loom in its original but now otherwise obsolete sense of “implement, tool.” Technically, some piece of property that by will or custom passes down with the real estate.