Heartbeat

From heart + beat

Full definition of heartbeat

(plural heartbeats)

One pulsation of the heart; especially an irregular one, hence the emotion which causes it.The policeman waited for a heartbeat in vain''He alone gives me such heartbeats
The rhythm at which a heart pulsates, a cardiac indicator''If your heartbeat doesn't normalize soon, consult a doctor!
A driving impulse or vital force.Music is the heartbeat of the people.
A very short space of time; an instant.The ambulance arrived in a heartbeat.
(computing) A periodic signal generated by hardware or software to indicate normal operation or to synchronize other parts of a system.