heartstring

noun

heart·​string ˈhärt-ˌstriŋ How to pronounce heartstring (audio)
1
obsolete : a nerve once believed to sustain the heart
2
: the deepest emotions or affections
usually used in plural
That movie really pulls at your heartstrings.

Did you know?

Heartstring Has a Medical History

Before a love song could tug at your heartstrings, the job was more likely to be accomplished by a surgeon: the word heartstring used to refer to a nerve believed to sustain the heart. You might recognize the word's second syllable in hamstring, which refers to both a group of tendons at the back of the knee and to any of three muscles at the backs of the upper legs. It's also apparent in a rare dialect term for the Achilles tendon: heel string. And in light of these terms, it's not surprising to know that string itself was at one time used independently to refer to bodily cords like tendons and ligaments.

Examples of heartstring in a Sentence

always said she didn't care much for cats, but now the little kitten was tugging at her heartstrings a story that will touch the very heartstrings of its readers
Recent Examples on the Web Eminem's new music video will surely tug at the heartstrings. Daniela Avila, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024 For over 20 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has pulled on the heartstrings of millions of viewers who tune in to watch surgeon Meredith Grey and a cast of characters navigate countless dangerous and dramatic scenarios, medical and personal. Annabel Gutterman, TIME, 26 Sep. 2024 Bill Anderson sure knows how to tug at the heartstrings. Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2024 For their part, the Toronto Raptors will be tugging on our collective heartstrings all season by celebrating their 30th anniversary. Esfandiar Baraheni, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for heartstring 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heartstring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartstring was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near heartstring

Cite this Entry

“Heartstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartstring. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

heartstring

noun
heart·​string -ˌstriŋ How to pronounce heartstring (audio)
: the deepest emotions or affections
touched the heartstrings of the audience
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!