heartstrings

/ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/

//ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz// noun

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

"heartstrings" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“heartstrings” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #49,970. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#49,970
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The tendons or other structures resembling cords once thought to be attached to, or to brace, the heart; especially the aorta, pulmonary artery, and other large arteries connected to them; also, th...

Corpus desk

Index EN-heartstrings · heartstrings · English

heartstrings · rank #49,970 · 20 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #49,970
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH hellcat

Nearest frequency peer: hellcat (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “heartstrings”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “heartstrings” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for heartstrings
PropertyValue
Headwordheartstrings
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/
Letters12
Frequency rank#49,970
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “heartstrings” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). heartstrings lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around heartstrings (IPA /ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #49,970 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for heartstrings, with forms such as "ehartstrings", "haertstrings", and "hearrtstrings". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *ḱḗr From Late Middle English hartestrynges, hert strynges, from Middle English herte (“heart”) + strenges, strynges (“cords, strings”). The English word is analysable as heart + strings. The correct English form is heartstrings, spelled H-E-A-R-T-S-T-R-I-N-G-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The tendons or other structures resembling cords once thought to be attached to, or to brace, the heart; especially the aorta, pulmonary artery, and other large arteries connected to them; also, the diaphragm.
  2. 2
    Synonym of chordae tendineae (“the cord-like tendons that connect the papillary muscles to the tricuspid valve and the mitral valve in the heart”).
  3. 3
    The source of one's deepest emotions or inner feelings, especially compassion or love.
  4. 4
    The essential or vital part of something; the core, the essence, the heart.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how heartstrings appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Harte ſtrynges uenies de cuevr.
  2. The Ueynes are ſpred foorth throughout the whole bodie, howbeit from one welhead, that is to ſay from the Liuer: ſo be the Sinews, howbeit from the Brayne; So likewiſe are the Heartſtrings, howbeit from the Heart.

Etymology

PIE word *ḱḗr From Late Middle English hartestrynges, hert strynges, from Middle English herte (“heart”) + strenges, strynges (“cords, strings”). The English word is analysable as heart + strings.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ehartstrings
  • haertstrings
  • hearrtstrings
  • hearsttrings
  • heartsrtings
  • heartsstrings
  • heartstirngs
  • heartstrigns
  • heartstringgs
  • heartstringss
  • heartstrinngs
  • heartstrinsg
  • heartstrnigs
  • heartstrrings
  • heartsttrings
  • hearttsrings
  • hearttstrings
  • heatrstrings
  • heratstrings
  • hheartstrings

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of heartstrings - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ehartstrings2haertstrings2hearrtstrings1hearsttrings2heartsrtings2heartsstrings1heartstirngs2heartstrigns2
Edit distance from "heartstrings"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "heartstrings"?
"heartstrings" is spelled H-E-A-R-T-S-T-R-I-N-G-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/.
What does "heartstrings" mean?
As a noun, "heartstrings" means: The tendons or other structures resembling cords once thought to be attached to, or to brace, the heart; especially the aorta, pulmonary artery, and other large arteries connected to them; also, th...
What are common misspellings of "heartstrings"?
Common misspellings include "ehartstrings", "haertstrings", "hearrtstrings", "hearsttrings", "heartsrtings". The correct spelling is "heartstrings".
How do you pronounce "heartstrings"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "heartstrings" is /ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/. 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 "heartstrings"?
PIE word *ḱḗr From Late Middle English hartestrynges, hert strynges, from Middle English herte (“heart”) + strenges, strynges (“cords, strings”). The English word is analysable as heart + strings. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "heartstrings", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Gainsborough#49,935exhilaration#49,908distributive#49,876contemptible#49,841

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

extrapolation20 variantsdependability20 variantsbioengineering20 variantsbacktracking20 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "heartstrings". Here's where to go from here.

  • 20 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #49,970 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "H" letter cohort. H–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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