heartstrings
heart·strings/ˈhɑɹtˌstɹɪŋz/noun
heartstrings is spelled H-E-A-R-T-S-T-R-I-N-G-S: 12 letters and 2 syllables (heart·strings). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,949th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). 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…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in heartstrings?
| Letters | 12: H-E-A-R-T-S-T-R-I-N-G-S |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: heart·strings |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 49,949th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is heartstrings?
Heartstrings appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 49,949th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce heartstrings?
- UK /ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/
- US /ˈhɑɹtˌstɹɪŋz/
Heartstrings has 2 syllables, split heart·strings in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-heartstrings.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of heartstrings
- heartstring singular
- heart-strings
- heart strings
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does heartstrings mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 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
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
The source of one's deepest emotions or inner feelings, especially compassion or love.
The sad eyes of the orphan tugged at my heartstrings.
- 4
archaicThe essential or vital part of something; the core, the essence, the heart.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Heartstrings in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense source of one’s deepest emotions or inner feelings:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | innerste Gefühle |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does heartstrings come from?
From Late Middle English hartestrynges, hert strynges, from Middle English herte (“heart”) + strenges, strynges (“cords, strings”). The English word is analysable as heart + strings.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).