adj B1 Intermediate Uncommon

hearty

HAH-tee

Hearty (adj) means Warm, enthusiastic, and genuine. Example: “He gave us a hearty welcome when we arrived.”

adj

Warm, enthusiastic, and genuine.

"He gave us a hearty welcome when we arrived."

Large, filling, and satisfying, especially of food.

"We had a hearty breakfast before the long hike."

How to use hearty

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither warmly enthusiastic, or (for food) filling and substantial.

Easily confused with

hardy →

Common pairings

a hearty meal a hearty welcome hearty laughter hearty appetite

heartier comparative, hearties plural, heartiest superlative

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Test yourself on “hearty” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

He gave us a _____ welcome when we arrived.

From "heart" plus the adjective suffix "-y" — originally meaning full of heart, i.e. vigorous and sincere.

unhearty heartless

brave cruel stern hearted ruthless heartless affectionate inhumane

arty party Marty smarty Fogarty Moriarty

What does “hearty” mean?

The word “hearty” means warm, enthusiastic, and genuine. In plain terms, either warmly enthusiastic, or (for food) filling and substantial.

How do you pronounce “hearty”?

“Hearty” is pronounced HAH-tee (/ˈhɑɹti/ in IPA).

How do you use “hearty” in a sentence?

Here is “hearty” used in a sentence: “He gave us a hearty welcome when we arrived.”

What is the opposite of “hearty”?

The opposite of “hearty” — its antonyms — are unhearty and heartless.

What part of speech is “hearty”?

“Hearty” is an adjective.

Is “hearty” a common word?

“Hearty” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “hearty” have?

“Hearty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: warm, enthusiastic, and genuine.

brave cruel stern hearted ruthless heartless affectionate inhumane