heart
/hɑːrt/
noun
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*kerd- — heart
Overview
Meaning Now
- A hollow muscular organ that pumps blood through the circulatory system.
- The center or innermost part of something.
- The seat of a person's emotions or character.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
heorte
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word is a cognate with the Latin 'cor' and Greek 'kardia'. It has historically represented not just the biological organ, but the core of human intellectual and emotional life across many cultures.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*kerd-
“heart”
- Proto-Germanic
*hertōn
“heart”
- Old English
heorte
“heart”
- Middle English
herte
“heart”
- Modern English
heart
“heart”
Connections
Word parts
heart
root
heart
Related across languages
Latin
cor
heart
Greek
kardia
heart
German
Herz
heart
Explore next
Related to heart
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.