heart (English)
Where does "heart" come from?
The word 'heart' traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱérd, which evolved through Germanic lineages into the Old English 'heorte.' While the term originally described the physical muscular organ, it has been used to encompass human emotions and courage since Old English times. By the 14th century, its meaning expanded further to denote the 'center' or 'essence' of something, a figurative shift that persists today.
Full etymology tree
- heart (English), 'A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.'
- inherited herte (Middle English), 'The heart (organ, sometimes eaten).'
- inherited heorte (Old English), 'heart (muscle)'
- inherited *hertā (Proto-West Germanic), 'heart'
- inherited *hertô (Proto-Germanic), 'heart'
- inherited *ḱḗrd (Proto-Indo-European)
- inherited *hertô (Proto-Germanic), 'heart'
- inherited *hertā (Proto-West Germanic), 'heart'
- inherited heorte (Old English), 'heart (muscle)'
- inherited herte (Middle English), 'The heart (organ, sometimes eaten).'
Direct ancestors
- ḱerd- (Proto-Indo-European)
- herte (Middle English)
- heorte (Old English)
- hertā (Proto-West Germanic)
- hertô (Proto-Germanic)
- cardia (English)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris