heartstrings
/ˈhɑɹtˌstɹɪŋz/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.55 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
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.
noun
Synonym of chordae tendineae (“the cord-like tendons that connect the papillary muscles to the tricuspid valve and the mitral valve in the heart”).
noun
The source of one's deepest emotions or inner feelings, especially compassion or love.
Example Sentences
- "Harte ſtrynges uenies de cuevr."
- "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."
- "The midriffe and heart-ſtrings do burn and beat very fearfully, and vvhen this vapour or fume is ſtirred, flyeth upvvard, the heart it ſelf beats, is ſore grieved, and faints, […]"
- "Once she sprang as the heifer springs / With the wolf's teeth at its red heart-strings: / First 'twas fire in her breast and brain, / And then scarce hers but the whole world's pain, / As she gave one shriek and sank again."
- "The atrioventricular valves are prevented from turning inside out by strands of connective tissue, which run from their underside to the walls of the ventricle. These are the so-called heartstrings or chordae tendin[e]ae."
- "Joined to the free ends of the AV [atrioventricular] valves are a number of cords called chordae tendineae (heart strings) attaching them to muscles in the wall of the ventricle. The heart strings keep the AV flaps pointing in the direction of the blood flow, stopping them being turned "inside out" and forced through the atria. The semilunar valves do not have heart strings. Blood flowing the wrong way makes the cusps balloon out so that their edges seal tight."
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhɑɹtˌstɹɪŋz/
- British English: /ˈhɑːtstɹɪŋz/