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 In the heart of this idyllic setting, almost exactly between Austin and San Antonio, lies a small city called Fredericksburg. — Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2022 In the heart of Oregon wine country, this rental overlooks the pastures and vineyards of Douglas County and is the ideal place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or holiday. — oregonlive, 17 June 2022 The Museum of Broadway, New York City’s newest museum, will be opening in the heart of Times Square on November 15, 2022, at 145 West 45th Street. — Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 17 June 2022 The Mayor’s Marathon weaves through Anchorage trails and parks, starting in Kincaid Park and finishing at the Delaney Park Strip in the heart of downtown. — Naomi Stock, Anchorage Daily News, 16 June 2022 The 90-acre nature preserve in the heart of bluegrass country is just 25 minutes away from downtown Louisville close to the Parklands of Floyds Fork. — Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 15 June 2022 SoLa also broadened into commercial real estate, buying a complex of derelict buildings on East 60th Street in the heart of a pre-WWII warehouse district. — Doug Smithsenior Writer, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2022 In April, Rolling Loud announced its first ever Rolling Loud festival in Canada, which is set to take place September 9 to 11 at Ontario Place in the heart of Toronto, with headliners Dave, Future and Wizkid. — Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 14 June 2022 The park, which will run one-third of a mile from the harbor’s edge to Summer Street, sits in Seaport Square, a 23-acre property owned by WS Development in the heart of the South Boston waterfront. — Shirley Leung, BostonGlobe.com, 14 June 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

21 Jun 2022

Cite this Entry

“Heart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heart. Accessed 28 Jun. 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