Illustration of heart
- 1 aorta
- 2 pulmonary artery
- 3 left atrium
- 4 left ventricle
- 5 right ventricle
- 6 right atrium
heart
1 of 2noun
ˈhärt 
plural hearts
1
a
: a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood
could feel her heart pounding
b
: a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart
c
: breast, bosom
placed his hand on his heart
d
: something resembling a heart in shape
specifically : a stylized representation of a heart
a card decorated with hearts and flowers
2
a
: a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heart
b
hearts plural : the suit comprising cards marked with hearts
the five of hearts
c
hearts plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a game in which the object is to avoid taking tricks (see trick entry 1 sense 4) containing hearts
3
a
: personality, disposition
a cold heart
b
obsolete : intellect
4
: the emotional or moral nature as distinguished from the intellectual nature: such as
a
: generous disposition : compassion
a leader with heart
b
: love, affection
won her heart
c
: courage or enthusiasm especially when maintained during a difficult situation
never lost heart
see also take heart 5
: one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations
knew it in his heart
a man after my own heart
6
a
: the central or innermost part : center
a cabin in the heart of the forest
b
: the essential or most vital part of something
the heart of the city
get to the heart of the matter
c
: the younger central compact part of a leafy rosette (such as a head of lettuce or stalk of celery)
heart
2 of 2verb
hearted; hearting; hearts
transitive verb
1
informal
a
: love entry 2
Jane hearts John.
I loathe beer. But I heart beer commercials …—
Rochell D. Thomas
Rochell D. Thomas b
: to like (see like entry 1 sense 4) an online post, comment, etc., especially by clicking or tapping a heart-shaped symbol
The tweet still hits home so much, not just for us, but for the 2.6 million that hearted her tweet too.—The Edge (Auckland, New Zealand)
The Edge (Auckland, New Zealand)2
archaic : hearten
3
archaic : to fix in the heart
Synonyms
Noun
- bigheartedness
- charity
- commiseration
- compassion
- feeling
- good-heartedness
- humanity
- kindheartedness
- kindliness
- kindness
- largeheartedness
- mercy
- pity
- ruth
- softheartedness
- sympathy
- warmheartedness
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun I could feel my heart pounding. He has a bad heart. He put his hand on his heart. When she heard the news, her heart filled with joy. She just couldn't find it in her heart to forgive them. I felt in my heart that our relationship was never meant to be. a ruler without a heart Have a heart! Can't you see he needs help? See More
Recent Examples on the WebJoseph Epstein, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 The heart of the philosophy is on full display in the quintessential quantum mechanics demonstration: the double-slit experiment. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2023 In Palo Alto, Stanford came into his own and created a pseudo-feudal empire, at the heart of which was a horse farm. —Scott W. Stern, The New Republic, 6 Feb. 2023 Search intent gets to the heart of why someone is searching. —John Hall, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023 For the last 25 years and an estimated 2,000 games, John Adams has been the beating heart of Tribe fans, pacing the action on the field with his bass drum in the stands. —Brian Albrecht, cleveland, 3 Feb. 2023 So is Long Beach Poly, and a wide majority of Orange County and Corona-area schools, interest multiplying through the heart of Los Angeles. —Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 Both an architectural marvel and functional abode, the residence the heart of this residence is the great room, which opens through four pivoting glass walls to the outdoors. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2023 The experience of being small, cute and unassuming is the heart of the film about a mollusk. —Nardos Haile, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2023 See More
Noun
To be beset by major problems and denied the right to talk earnestly about them is at the heart of much that has gone wrong in American public life in recent years. —Joseph Epstein, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023 The heart of the philosophy is on full display in the quintessential quantum mechanics demonstration: the double-slit experiment. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Feb. 2023 In Palo Alto, Stanford came into his own and created a pseudo-feudal empire, at the heart of which was a horse farm. —Scott W. Stern, The New Republic, 6 Feb. 2023 Search intent gets to the heart of why someone is searching. —John Hall, Forbes, 5 Feb. 2023 For the last 25 years and an estimated 2,000 games, John Adams has been the beating heart of Tribe fans, pacing the action on the field with his bass drum in the stands. —Brian Albrecht, cleveland, 3 Feb. 2023 So is Long Beach Poly, and a wide majority of Orange County and Corona-area schools, interest multiplying through the heart of Los Angeles. —Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023 Both an architectural marvel and functional abode, the residence the heart of this residence is the great room, which opens through four pivoting glass walls to the outdoors. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2023 The experience of being small, cute and unassuming is the heart of the film about a mollusk. —Nardos Haile, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English hert, from Old English heorte; akin to Old High German herza heart, Latin cord-, cor, Greek kardia
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Phrases Containing heart
Kids Definition
heart
nounˈhärt
1
a
: a hollow muscular organ of vertebrates that expands and contracts to move blood through the arteries, veins, and capillaries
b
: a structure in an invertebrate that serves a purpose like that of the heart of a vertebrate
2
: the central or most important part
the heart of a forest
the heart of the argument
3
a
: something resembling a heart in shape
b
: a playing card marked with red simplified patterns of hearts
c
plural : a card game whose object is to avoid taking tricks with hearts
4
a
: human feelings : affection, kindness
a ruler without heart
b
: courage, spirit
take heart
5
: personality sense 2, disposition sense 3
a cold heart
hearted adjective
-əd
Medical Definition
heart
noun ˈhärt
1
: a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood and that in the human adult is about five inches (13 centimeters) long and three and one half inches (9 centimeters) broad, is of conical form, is placed obliquely in the chest with the broad end upward and to the right and the apex opposite the interval between the cartilages of the fifth and sixth ribs on the left side, is enclosed in a serous pericardium, and consists as in other mammals and in birds of four chambers divided into an upper pair of rather thin-walled atria which receive blood from the veins and a lower pair of thick-walled ventricles into which the blood is forced and which in turn pump it into the arteries
2
: a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heart
Geographical Definition
Heart
geographical name
ˈhärt
river in southwestern North Dakota flowing 200 miles (320 kilometers) east into the Missouri River opposite Bismarck
heart
noun
1
as in kindness
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune those who refuse to contribute to the fund for the famine victims must have no heart Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- kindness
- compassion
- sympathy
- feelings
- feeling
- humanity
- mercy
- sensitivity
- pity
- generosity
- love
- ruth
- affection
- kindliness
- sensibility
- responsiveness
- charity
- good-heartedness
- empathy
- kindheartedness
- commiseration
- warmheartedness
- softheartedness
- regard
- bigheartedness
- largeheartedness
- affinity
- humanism
- rapport
- humaneness
- goodwill
- altruism
- benevolence
- humanitarianism
- benignity
- philanthropy
- benignancy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- indifference
- coldness
- inhumanity
- mercilessness
- pitilessness
- hatred
- disinterest
- callousness
- hard-heartedness
- cruelty
- coldheartedness
- unconcern
- hostility
- inhumanness
- harshness
- animosity
- antipathy
- dislike
2
as in center
a thing or place that is of greatest importance to an activity or interest the heart of the village economy was the outdoor market Synonyms & Similar Words
- center
- hub
- capital
- mecca
- core
- focus
- nucleus
- central
- base
- seat
- locus
- epicenter
- nexus
- navel
- headquarters
- axis
- playground
- ground zero
- nerve center
- eye
- cynosure
- omphalos
- soul
- where it's at
- essence
- deep
- attraction
- hot spot
- magnet
- hive
- hotbed
- thick
- pith
- kernel
- nub
- playland
- quintessence
- lodestone
- polestar
- happy hunting ground
- loadstone
3
as in courage
strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger never lost heart while she was lost in the woods Synonyms & Similar Words
- courage
- heroism
- courageousness
- gallantry
- bravery
- prowess
- nerve
- valor
- stoutness
- daring
- fearlessness
- pecker
- guts
- fortitude
- virtue
- intrepidness
- intrepidity
- gutsiness
- dauntlessness
- stamina
- daringness
- stomach
- grit
- bottle
- backbone
- greatheartedness
- hardihood
- spunk
- mettle
- doughtiness
- endurance
- intestinal fortitude
- perseverance
- gumption
- fiber
- tenacity
- determination
- moxie
- temper
- boldness
- pluck
- resolution
- audacity
- pluckiness
- temerity
- gall
- effrontery
- cheek
- cojones
- brazenness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- cowardice
- weakness
- timidity
- softness
- fearfulness
- cowardliness
- feebleness
- faintheartedness
- cold feet
- impotence
- spinelessness
- timorousness
- cravenness
- hesitation
- indecision
- dastardliness
- poltroonery
- mousiness
- ineffectualness
- indecisiveness
- irresolution
4
as in core
the central part or aspect of something under consideration at the heart of the problem is the school's outmoded computer system avoided any small talk and got right to the heart of the matter Synonyms & Similar Words
- core
- essence
- root
- kernel
- point
- meat
- nucleus
- sum
- bottom line
- crux
- pith
- centerpiece
- pivot
- nub
- gist
- body
- subject
- net
- theme
- keynote
- direction
- sum and substance
- tenor
- content
- substance
- bull's-eye
- course
- nubbin
- the long and short
- drift
- meat and potatoes
- the long and the short
- thesis
- proposition
- hypothesis
- purport
5
as in soul
the seat of one's deepest thoughts and emotions deep down in her heart, she knew he was telling the truth Synonyms & Similar Words
- soul
- mind
- gut
- core
- bosom
- breast
- inside
- bone(s)
- blood
- belly
- quick
- conscience
- heartstrings
- inner space