Definition of heart
1a : 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 poundingb : a structure in an invertebrate animal functionally analogous to the vertebrate heartc : breast, bosom placed his hand on his heartd : something resembling a heart in shape; specifically : a stylized representation of a heart a card decorated with hearts and flowers
2a : a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a red heartb hearts plural : the suit comprising cards marked with hearts the five of heartsc hearts plural in form but singular or plural in construction : a game in which the object is to avoid taking tricks (see 1trick 4) containing hearts
3a : personality, disposition a cold heartb obsolete : intellect
4 : the emotional or moral nature as distinguished from the intellectual nature: such asa : generous disposition : compassion a leader with heartb : love, affection won her heartc : courage or enthusiasm especially when maintained during a diffiicult situation never lost heart
5 : one's innermost character, feelings, or inclinations knew it in his heart a man after my own heart
6a : the central or innermost part : center a cabin in the heart of the forestb : the essential or most vital part of something the heart of the city get to the heart of the matterc : the younger central compact part of a leafy rosette (such as a head of lettuce or stalk of celery)
at heart
: in essence : basically, essentially a romantic at heart
by heart
: by rote or from memory knows the poem by heart
to heart
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
Examples of heart in a Sentence
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?
Illustration of heart
Origin and Etymology of heart
Middle English hert, from Old English heorte; akin to Old High German herza heart, Latin cord-, cor, Greek kardia
First Known Use: before 12th century
Other Anatomy Terms
Origin and Etymology of heart
see 1heart
First Known Use: before 12th century
Heart
playDefinition of Heart
river in southwestern North Dakota flowing 200 miles (320 kilometers) east into the Missouri River opposite Bismarck
HEART Defined for English Language Learners
heart
playDefinition of heart for English Language Learners
-
: the organ in your chest that pumps blood through your veins and arteries
-
: the front part of your chest
-
: the heart thought of as the place where emotions are felt
HEART Defined for Kids
heart
playDefinition of heart for Students
1 : a hollow muscular organ of the body that expands and contracts to move blood through the arteries and veins
2 : something shaped like a heart a Valentine's heart
3 : a part near the center or deep into the interior They reached the heart of the desert.
4 : the most essential part That's the heart of the problem.
5 : human feelings Speak from your heart.
6 : courage or enthusiasm I don't have the heart to tell them what happened.
by heart
: so as to be able to repeat from memory I think I'm going to learn his new phone number by heart. — Paula Danziger, Amber Brown
Medical Dictionary
heart
playMedical Definition of heart
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
Illustration of heart
Learn More about heart
-
See words that rhyme with heart Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for heart Spanish Central: Translation of heart Nglish: Translation of heart for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of heart for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heart
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up heart? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!