Hert

/hɜːrt/ noun

Definition

An archaic or dialectal spelling of 'heart,' used in Middle English and early modern texts.

Etymology

From Old English 'heorte,' evolving through Middle English 'hert' as a variant spelling before settling on the modern 'heart.' This form appears in medieval manuscripts and literature.

Kelly Says

Medieval spellings like 'hert' remind us that spelling wasn't standardized until the printing press—writers in Shakespeare's time could spell the same word multiple ways even in a single document.

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