Etymograph

English

heart

Heart comes from Middle English harte, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerd-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱḗrreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hertôreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hertāreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150heorte
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500harte
  7. Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588heart

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerd-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱḗrreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hertôreconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hertāreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150heorte
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500harte
  7. Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588heart

Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “Upon his browes was pourtraid vgly death, / And…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd-

record, encourage, courage, accord, concord, discord, myocardium, 8 more

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱḗr

creed, cardiac, 1 more

Today it means

noun A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body, traditionally thought to be the seat of emotion.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd- / heart

Shirt and support for this word