Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

heartbeat

American  
[hahrt-beet] / ˈhɑrtˌbit /

noun

Physiology.

  1. a pulsation of the heart, including one complete systole and diastole.

heartbeat British  
/ ˈhɑːtˌbiːt /

noun

  1. one complete pulsation of the heart See diastole systole

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heartbeat

First recorded in 1840–50; heart + 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.

By the time his heartbeat was back to normal, so was his skin.

From Literature

Syncing with their racing heartbeat makes us feel their anxiety.

From The Wall Street Journal

She had a heartbeat to take a deep breath, and then—WHOOMP—the wave swallowed her and swept her off her feet.

From Literature

It finds the misfiring heart tissue and zaps the electrical nodes causing an irregular heartbeat.

From Barron's

Joel has now fully recovered from his infection, although he must continue to wear a pacemaker to ensure a regular heartbeat.

From BBC

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.