prep_phrase · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/baɪ ˈhɑːt/
General-American:/baɪ ˈhɑɹt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
prep_phrase
Meaning 1
From unaided memory and in full detail.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
to learn something by heart
to know something by heart
He used to live in that town, and he still knows all the streets by heart.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: by rote
2
adverb
Meaning 2
by committing to memory
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she knew the poem by heart
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: by memory
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English by herte. Compare French par cœur (literally “by heart”), of which the English may be a calque.
Across languages
Translations
75 source translations are retained for this English entry.
