Third-person singular present: to give courage, hope, or encouragement to someone.
From 'heart' plus the verb-forming suffix '-en' (to make or become), plus the third-person singular '-s.' The verb dates to at least the 16th century as people needed to describe emotional encouragement.
The verb 'hearten' creates a vivid image—it suggests you're literally putting heart back into someone who's lost theirs, reversing the 'dishearten' process. It's a beautifully physical metaphor for emotional support.
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