# heart

/ˈhɑɹt/ (US) · /hˈɑːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/heart
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. body organ

noun · CEFR A1

the organ in your chest that pumps blood through your body.

For teachers: the hollow muscular organ that maintains the circulation of blood by rhythmic contraction and dilation.

- You can feel your heart beating faster when you run up the stairs.
- Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improving its efficiency at pumping oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

### 2. emotions and love

noun · CEFR A2

your deepest feelings, especially love and kindness.

For teachers: the metaphorical seat of emotions, affections, and sensibilities.

- She knew in her heart that she was making the right decision.
- The poet explores the conflict between the rational mind and the impulsive heart in his latest collection of sonnets.

### 3. the center

noun · CEFR B1

the middle or most important part of something.

For teachers: the central, innermost, or most essential part of a place, organization, or problem.

- Our hotel was located right in the heart of the city.
- The investigation eventually reached the heart of the matter, uncovering a complex web of financial mismanagement.

### 4. courage

noun · CEFR B2

the bravery or spirit to keep doing something difficult.

For teachers: the capacity for endurance, courage, or enthusiasm in the face of difficulty.

- The team lost the game, but they showed a lot of heart.
- Despite the overwhelming odds, the small group of volunteers never lost heart and continued their rescue efforts through the night.

### 5. shape or card suit

noun · CEFR A2

a shape with two curves at the top (♥) or a card from the red suit in a deck.

For teachers: a conventional symmetric representation of the heart; also, one of the four suits of playing cards.

- He drew a small heart at the bottom of the letter.
- In many card games, the queen of hearts is a significant card that players try to avoid collecting.

### 6. to love or like

verb · CEFR B1 · Informal · Humorous

to like or love something very much.

For teachers: to feel great affection for; often used as a substitute for the word 'love' in digital contexts.

- I heart New York; it is such an exciting city to visit.
- The marketing campaign used the slogan 'I heart local coffee' to appeal to younger, social-media-savvy consumers.

### 7. to like a post

verb · CEFR B1 · Informal

to click a heart button on a social media post to show you like it.

For teachers: to indicate approval or appreciation of digital content by clicking a heart-shaped icon.

- Don't forget to heart my photo if you enjoyed the video.
- The influencer noticed that her followers were more likely to heart posts that featured candid, behind-the-scenes footage.

## Examples

- Exercise is good for your heart.
- The surgeon explained how the heart pumps oxygenated blood to every part of the body during the procedure.
- At the heart of the city lies a historic square where ancient traditions continue to thrive despite the surrounding modern development.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.