Illustration of heart
- 1 aorta
- 2 pulmonary artery
- 3 left atrium
- 4 left ventricle
- 5 right ventricle
- 6 right atrium
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
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
has a cold heart
b
obsolete
: intellect
4
: the emotional or moral nature as distinguished from the intellectual nature: such as
a
: a kind or generous disposition : compassion
a leader with heart
Can't you see he's hurt? Have a heart!
She's got a big heart. [=she's very kind and generous]
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
see also change of 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 plant (such as a cluster of leaves or stems)
lettuce/celery hearts
hearted; hearting; hearts
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
Examples of heart in a Sentence
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?
Recent Examples on the Web
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Right after Canada finished its first knockout match victory in a World Cup, coach Jesse Marsch huddled his players on the grass of a stadium still in pandemonium and spoke from his heart — shouted, actually.
—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Lead with heart, and turn teamwork into practical plans.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Is low-carb or low-fat eating healthier for your heart?
—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for heart
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Volunteers organized the supplies — toothbrushes, baby wipes, instant soup and many other items — and loaded them into boxes, drawing hearts on the outside with magic marker.
—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Right after Canada finished its first knockout match victory in a World Cup, coach Jesse Marsch huddled his players on the grass of a stadium still in pandemonium and spoke from his heart — shouted, actually.
—
Greg Beacham,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2026
Lead with heart, and turn teamwork into practical plans.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Is low-carb or low-fat eating healthier for your heart?
—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for heart
Cite this Entry
“Heart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
heart
noun1
: 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
river in southwestern North Dakota flowing 200 miles (320 kilometers) east into the Missouri River opposite Bismarck
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