• Heart

    Pronunciation

    • RP IPA: /hɑːt/
    • GenAm IPA: /hɑɹt/
    • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)t

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Middle English herte, from Old English heorte ("heart"), from Proto-Germanic *hertô ("heart"), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱḗr ("heart"). Germanic cognates: see *hertô. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin cor, cordis, Greek καρδιά, Welsh craidd, Irish croí, Armenian սիրտ, Russian сердце (serdce), Lithuanian širdis and Albanian kërthizë ("navel, central spot").

    Full definition of heart

    Noun

    heart

    (countable and uncountable; plural hearts)
    1. (anatomy) A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.
    2. (uncountable) Emotions, kindness, moral effort, or spirit in general.The team lost, but they showed a lot of heart.
      • In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
      • 2008, "Rights trampled in rush to deport immigrant workers," Quaker Action (magazine), vol. 89, no. 3, page 8:"We provided a lot of brains and a lot of heart to the response when it was needed," says Sandra Sanchez, director of AFSC's Immigrants' Voice Program in Des Moines.
      • 2011, September 2, , Wales 2-1 Montenegro, The result still leaves Wales bottom of the group but in better heart for Tuesday night's trip to face England at Wembley, who are now outright leaders after their 3-0 win in Bulgaria.
      • Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. (Antoine de Saint Exupéry, , 1943)
    3. The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, etc.; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; usually in a good sense.a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart
    4. Courage; courageous purpose; spirit.
      • MiltonEve, recovering heart, replied.
      • Sir W. TempleThe expelled nations take heart, and when they fly from one country invade another.
    5. Vigorous and efficient activity; power of fertile production; condition of the soil, whether good or bad.
      • DrydenThat the spent earth may gather heart again.
    6. (obsolete) A term of affectionate or kindly and familiar address.
      • ShakespeareI speak to thee, my heart.
    7. A conventional shape or symbol used to represent the heart, love, or emotion: ♥ or sometimes <3.
      • 1998, Pat Cadigan, Tea From an Empty Cup, page 106:"Aw. Thank you." The Cherub kissed the air between them and sent a small cluster of tiny red hearts at her.
    8. A playing card of the suit hearts featuring one or more heart-shaped symbols.
    9. The centre, essence, or core.The wood at the heart of a tree is the oldest.Buddhists believe that suffering is right at the heart of all life.
      • 2011, December 27, Mike Henson, Norwich 0 - 2 Tottenham, Norwich's attack centred on a front pair of Steve Morison and Grant Holt, but Younes Kaboul at the heart of the Tottenham defence dominated in the air.
      • 1899, Robert Barr (writer), The Strong Arm, ch. 3:At last she spoke in a low voice, hesitating slightly, nevertheless going with incisive directness into the very heart of the problem.

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from heart (noun)

    Descendants

    Verb

    1. (transitive, poetic or humorous) To be fond of. Often bracketed or abbreviated with a heart symbol.
      • 1905, Capt. James, William Wordsworth (editor), Poems and Extracts,I heart to pray their bones may rest in peace
      • 2001 April 6, Michael Baldwin, "The Heart Has Its Reasons", CommonwealWe're but the sum of all our terrors until we heart the dove.
      • 2006, Susan Reinhardt, Bulldog doesn't have to rely on the kindness of strangers to draw attention, Citizen-Times.comI guess at this point we were supposed to feel elated she'd come to her senses and decided she hearts dogs after all.
      • 2008 January 30, "Cheese in our time: Blur and Oasis to end feud with a Stilton", The Guardian (London)The further we delve into this "story", the more convinced we become of one thing: We heart the Goss.
      • 2008 July 25, "The Media Hearts Obama?", On The Media, National Public Radio
    2. (transitive, obsolete) To give heart to; to hearten; to encourage.
      • ShakespeareMy cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason.
    3. (transitive, masonry) To fill an interior with rubble, as a wall or a breakwater.
    4. (intransitive, agriculture, botany) To form a dense cluster of leaves, a heart, especially of lettuce or cabbage.

    Synonyms

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