heart

noun

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\ ˈhärt

plural hearts

Definition of heart

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 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

2a : 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

3a : 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

6a : 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)

at heart

: in essence : basically, essentially a romantic at heart

by heart

: by rote or from memory knows the poem by heart

to heart

: with deep concern took the criticism to heart

heart

verb

hearted; hearting; hearts

Definition of heart (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 informal

a : love entry 2 Jane hearts John. I loathe beer. But I heart beer commercials …— 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)

2 archaic : hearten

3 archaic : to fix in the heart

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing heart Learn More About 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? See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun And crucially, Obergefell is at heart a gender equality case. — Akhil Reed Amar, WSJ, 13 May 2022 Unlike the all-too-common heart-wrenching and unexpected endings to each episode, there are no surprises on this list. — Mike Rose, cleveland, 12 May 2022 Originally airing on local Minneapolis station KTMA-TV from 1988-1989, MST3K has always been scrappy at heart. — Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2022 Despite her many years as a cosmopolitan, Millay was at heart a country girl, a New Englander. — Maggie Doherty, The New Yorker, 9 May 2022 Bohjalian is at heart a thriller writer, eager to upend charming scenes of wildlife-spotting with a deadly twist. — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2022 As for the pair of women at the series’ heart: Biel’s much too obviously a 2022 celebrity fit to play a supposedly fragile-looking 1980s housewife, no matter how hard the tight curls of her frumpy wig try to prove otherwise. — Caroline Framke, Variety, 5 May 2022 Beijing may support Russia for the time being, but Chinese policymakers have their own interests at heart. — Daniel R. Depetris, The Week, 2 May 2022 Impressed with her work ethic, the mentor/mentee relationship evolved; when Nooyi was presented with two simultaneous opportunities - accept a raise and promotion at her current job or attend Yale, her mentor had Nooyi’s best interest at heart. — Jane Hanson, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heart.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near heart

Hearstling

heart

Heart

Statistics for heart

Last Updated

16 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Heart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart. Accessed 17 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for heart

heart

noun

\ ˈhärt

Kids Definition of heart

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 Is Not a Crayon

heart

noun

\ ˈhärt

Medical 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

Heart geographical name

\ ˈhärt