heart
haht
Heart (noun) means the muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally seen as the seat of emotion. Example: “Her heart raced as she waited for the results.”
noun
1
The muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally seen as the seat of emotion.
"Her heart raced as she waited for the results."
"Regular exercise keeps your heart strong."
"The doctor listened to the child's heart with a cold stethoscope."
2
A person's feelings, emotions, or capacity to love and care.
"He wears his heart on his sleeve."
"She has a kind heart and always helps stray animals."
"It broke her heart when her best friend moved far away."
3
The central or most essential part of something.
"The dispute goes to the very heart of the disagreement."
"The old market sits at the heart of the city."
"Honesty lies at the heart of any good friendship."
4
Courage, determination, or spirit, especially under difficulty.
"The team showed real heart to come back and win in the final minute."
"Despite the cold, the runners showed great heart and finished the race."
"Don't lose heart, because you have only just begun to learn."
5
A stylized symbol (♥) representing love, or the card-suit of that name.
"She drew a little heart next to her signature."
"He sent her a message full of red hearts."
"The queen of hearts was missing from the pack of cards."
verb
1
Informal: to love or be very fond of, often written with the heart symbol.
"The bumper sticker read "I ❤ NY.""
"My sister hearts every cat video she finds online."
"We heart this little café, so we go there every weekend."
How to use heart
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe organ that pumps blood, and by extension, a person's emotions, courage, or the core of something.
Common mistake
As a verb ("I heart this"), it's informal/playful and shouldn't be used in formal writing.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
broken heart
heart of the matter
lose heart
take heart
heart and soul
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Word forms
- Plural
- hearts
- Third person singular
- hearts
- Past tense
- hearted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her _____ raced as she waited for the results.
Etymology
From Old English heorte, an ancient Indo-European word for "heart"; the figurative "to love" sense of the verb only dates to the 1977 "I ❤ NY" ad campaign.
Related words
Rhymes for heart
See all rhymes for heart →Frequently asked questions
What does “heart” mean?
The word “heart” means the muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally seen as the seat of emotion. In plain terms, the organ that pumps blood, and by extension, a person's emotions, courage, or the core of something.
How do you pronounce “heart”?
“Heart” is pronounced haht (/hɑɹt/ in IPA).
How do you use “heart” in a sentence?
Here is “heart” used in a sentence: “Her heart raced as she waited for the results.”
What part of speech is “heart”?
Depending on how it is used, “heart” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “heart” come from?
The word “heart” dates back to around 1977 and comes from Old English. From Old English heorte, an ancient Indo-European word for "heart"; the figurative "to love" sense of the verb only dates to the 1977 "I ❤ NY" ad campaign.
Is “heart” a common word?
“Heart” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “heart” have?
“Heart” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally seen as the seat of emotion.
What does the heart do?
The heart is a muscular organ, roughly the size of a fist, that pumps blood around the body. Its steady beating pushes oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood out to the tissues and returns used blood to the lungs to be refreshed. Without this constant circulation, the body's cells could not survive.
How many chambers does the human heart have?
The human heart has four chambers: two upper chambers called atria and two lower chambers called ventricles. The right side pumps blood to the lungs to collect oxygen, and the left side pumps that oxygen-rich blood out to the rest of the body. Valves keep the blood flowing one way.
Why is the heart linked to emotion?
For centuries people believed the heart was the seat of feeling, love and courage, partly because strong emotions make it race. Science shows emotions actually arise in the brain, but the old association survives everywhere in language — a 'broken heart,' a 'kind heart,' or learning something 'by heart.'
What is an example of 'heart' used figuratively?
Beyond the organ, heart stands for emotion, character or the centre of something: 'she has a warm heart,' 'he put his heart into the work,' 'the heart of the city,' or 'know it by heart.' These uses draw on the old idea of the heart as the core of a person.
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