heartbeat
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of heartbeat
Explanation
That regular thumping in your chest is your heartbeat, the relaxation and contraction of your heart's chambers that sends blood flowing through your body. You may notice your heartbeat after you've been exercising vigorously, or when something really scares you. It's the rhythmic pulse that can be heard through a stethoscope as your heart works to pump your blood. Figuratively, a heartbeat is also a brief, quick moment, as in "It was over in a heartbeat," or something vitally important, as in "She was the heartbeat of our Girl Scout troop." Heartbeat comes from the "repeated strike of a drum" sense of beat.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In certain cases, this may contribute to an irregular heartbeat called arrhythmia.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
But PABS, the heartbeat of the treaty, was left on the side in order to get the bulk of the deal over the line.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain and a fluttering heartbeat.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
"Every corner of that home held a story, and every piece of furniture carried a heartbeat of our lives - a laugh, a tear, a dream that was once real," he added.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
The words were barely out of his mouth before she registered another heartbeat just on the other side of the door.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
