by heart

/baɪ ˈhɑːt/

//baɪ ˈhɑːt// prep_phrase

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"by-heart" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“by heart” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prep_phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - From unaided memory and in full detail.

Key facts for by heart
PropertyValue
Headwordby heart
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrep_phrase
IPA/baɪ ˈhɑːt/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “by heart” sits in English frequency

by heart falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for by heart is 8 letters long, classified as a prep_phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /baɪ ˈhɑːt/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "From unaided memory and in full detail.".

Zero misspellings are on record for by heart in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English by herte. Compare French par cœur (literally “by heart”), of which the English may be a calque. The correct English form is by heart, spelled B-Y- -H-E-A-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    From unaided memory and in full detail.

Etymology

From Middle English by herte. Compare French par cœur (literally “by heart”), of which the English may be a calque.

This word in other languages

par cœur(Français)auswendig(Deutsch)de cor(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "by heart"?
"by heart" is spelled B-Y- -H-E-A-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /baɪ ˈhɑːt/.
What does "by heart" mean?
As a prep_phrase, "by heart" means: From unaided memory and in full detail.
How do you pronounce "by heart"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "by heart" is /baɪ ˈhɑːt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "by heart"?
From Middle English by herte. Compare French par cœur (literally “by heart”), of which the English may be a calque. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “by heart”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-Y- -H-E-A-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /baɪ ˈhɑːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list