heartbeat means one pulsation of the heart; especially an irregular one, hence the emotion which causes it.
heartbeat is pronounced /ˈhɑːtˌbiːt/.
Why “heartbeat” is a great word
A single pulsation of the heart, or the regular rhythm of such pulsations considered as a vital sign. From heart + beat; first recorded in 1821. Unlike 'pulse' (which denotes the arterial echo felt at the wrist or neck) or 'cadence' (which implies an imposed, often martial, rhythm), a heartbeat is the fundamental, internal meter. It is the subcutaneous thump in a quiet room, the double-time flutter before a first kiss, the deep, tidal drum of a sleeping child—the unadorned sound of a life keeping its own time.
Etymology
From heart + beat.
noun
- One pulsation of the heart; especially an irregular one, hence the emotion which causes it.“The policeman waited for a heartbeat in vain.”
- The rhythm at which a heart pulsates, a cardiac indicator.“If your heartbeat doesn't normalize soon, consult a doctor!”
- A driving impulse or vital force; the vital center of something.“Music is the heartbeat of the people.”
- A very short space of time; an instant.“The ambulance arrived in a heartbeat.”
- A periodic signal generated by hardware or software to indicate normal operation or to synchronize other parts of a system.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- pulse 90% match — A normally regular beat felt when arteries near the skin (for example, at the neck or wrist) are depressed, caused by the heart pumping blood through them; the qualitative nature of this beat. vs heartbeat →
- pulsate 86% match — To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat, exhibit a pulse. vs heartbeat →
- systole 83% match — The rhythmic contraction of the heart, by which blood is driven through the arteries. vs heartbeat →
- heartquake 82% match — Trembling of the heart or emotions; trepidation; fear. vs heartbeat →
- ictus 82% match — The pulse. vs heartbeat →
- heartbreak 82% match — Overwhelming mental anguish or grief, especially that caused by loss or disappointment. vs heartbeat →
- rubatosis 81% match — The unsettling awareness of one's own heartbeat vs heartbeat →
- heartache 81% match — Emotional distress or pain, often caused by a loved one or their absence. vs heartbeat →