heart

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a playing card in the major suit that has one or more red hearts on it

   I can only play the queen of hearts.

2. 2
   noun

   an inclination or tendency of a certain kind

   I had a change of heart.

3. 3
   noun

   the locus of feelings and intuitions

   in your heart you know it is true

4. 4
   noun

   a firm rather dry variety meat (usually beef or veal)

   a five-pound beef heart will serve six

5. 5
   noun

   A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.

   […] I did almoſt beleeve, that the motion of the Heart vvas knovvn to God alone: […]

6. 6
   noun

   One's feelings and emotions, especially considered as part of one's character.

   She has a cold heart.

7. 7
   noun

   The seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, etc.; rarely, the seat of the understanding or will; usually in a good sense; personality.

   a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart

8. 8
   noun

   Emotional strength that allows one to continue in difficult situations; courage; spirit; a will to compete.

   The team lost, but they showed a lot of heart.

Etymology

PIE word *ḱḗr From Middle English herte, from Old English heorte (“heart”), from Proto-West Germanic *hertā, from Proto-Germanic *hertô (“heart”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱérd (“heart”). Doublet of cardia; see also core. Most of the modern figurative senses (such as passion or compassion, spirit, inmost feelings, especially love, affection, and courage) were present in Old English. However, the meaning “center” dates from the early 14th century. The verb sense “to love” is from the 1977 I ❤ NY advertising campaign. Notes on spelling The spelling ⟨ear⟩ for /ɑː(ɹ)/ is paralleled by hearken an…