the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience
"the gist of the prosecutor's argument"
"the heart and soul of the Republican Party"
"the nub of the story"
a plane figure with rounded sides curving inward at the top and intersecting at the bottom; conventionally used on playing cards and valentines
"he drew a heart and called it a valentine"
a firm rather dry variety meat (usually beef or veal)
"a five-pound beef heart will serve six"
a positive feeling of liking
"he had trouble expressing the affection he felt"
"the child won everyone's heart"
"the warmness of his welcome made us feel right at home"
a playing card in the major suit that has one or more red hearts on it
"he led the queen of hearts"
"hearts were trumps"
A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.
In plain English: The heart is the muscular organ that pumps blood throughout your body.
"She gave her heart to the person she loved."
Usage: Use "heart" to refer to either the physical organ that circulates blood or, metaphorically, the center of emotion and courage within a person. When speaking figuratively, it often denotes one's innermost feelings or the core of an action, such as acting from the heart.
To be fond of. Often bracketed or abbreviated with a heart symbol.
"I'm totally crushing on him, and my friends keep saying I have a huge crush on him."
In plain English: To heart means to feel intense sadness or disappointment, usually because someone has hurt your feelings.
"After seeing her smile, his heart warmed up immediately."
Usage: Use "heart" as a verb to express strong affection or liking for someone or something, often seen in informal digital communication where it replaces the word "love." It functions similarly to "to love" but carries a lighter, more casual tone suitable for expressing fondness rather than deep passion.
A surname.
"My neighbor, Mr. Heart, invited us all over for his annual barbecue last weekend."
The word "heart" comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱérd, which meant "heart," and traveled through Old English to modern usage. While its figurative meanings like passion and courage were already present in Old English, the sense of "center" is a later development dating to the early 14th century.