heart
UK[hɑːt]US[hɑːrt]
n
The organ in your chest that sends blood around your body.
n
The center of a person's emotions, thoughts, and feelings, especially kindness or love.
n
The central or most important part of something.
Etymology
The word 'heart' originates from the Old English 'heorte', which is itself descended from the Proto-Germanic 'hertô-'. This Germanic root can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root 'kerd-', meaning 'heart'. This ancient root is the source for cardiac-related terms across many Indo-European languages, including the Greek 'kardia' (as in 'cardiology') and the Latin 'cor' (as in 'cordial'). The semantic journey from the literal, physical organ to the figurative center of emotion and courage is a profound and ancient metaphorical extension, demonstrating how a core bodily function became synonymous with the seat of human character and sentiment.
Analysis
The modern English word 'heart' is a simplex word derived from a single, tightly fused Germanic root. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within its current English spelling.
Examples
The doctor listened to the patient's heartbeat.
She has a very kind heart and is always helping others.
Let's get to the heart of the matter and discuss the main problem.