heartland

[hahrt-land, -luh nd]

See more synonyms for heartland on Thesaurus.com

noun

the part of a region considered essential to the viability and survival of the whole, especially a central land area relatively invulnerable to attack and capable of economic and political self-sufficiency.
any central area, as of a state, nation, or continent: a vineyard in California's heartland.

Origin of heartland

First recorded in 1900–05; heart + land

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for heartland

marrow, heart, substance, lining, inside, innards, soul, bosom, pith, viscera, belly, midst, pulp, contents, heartland, boondocks, central, hinterland, inward, provincial

Examples from the Web for heartland

Contemporary Examples of heartland

The cities of the heartland came into existence, first and foremost, as economic entities.
The Rustbelt Roars Back From the Dead
Joel Kotkin, Richey Piiparinen
December 7, 2014
Thus, any Iraqi army offensive in the Sunni Arab heartland is unlikely to succeed without local partners.
Lessons From Fallujah, Then and Now
Dr. Daniel R. Green
July 26, 2014
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher had an odd warning last week for the Heartland Institute.
Meet The Putin-Loving Congressman Who’s Worried About Fluoride In Our Drinking Water
James Kirchick
July 20, 2014
Throughout the Sunni heartland, the government has simply imploded.
How Iran and America Can Beat ISIS Together
Ben Van Heuvelen
June 21, 2014
The first U.S. case of MERS landed in Indiana—smack-dab in the heartland.
Is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) the Next SARS?
Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad
May 3, 2014

Historical Examples of heartland

It was the only area of the heartland—except for the top level casinos—open to every citizen without restriction.
The Cartels Jungle
Irving E. Cox, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for heartland

heartland

noun

the central region of a country or continent
the core or most vital areathe industrial heartland of England

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

Word Origin and History for heartland

1904, first recorded in geo-political writings of English geographer H.J. MacKinder (1861-1947), from heart in figurative sense "center, core" + land (n.).