2 syllables: heart, ed. Stress on heart.
HAHR-tuhd
/ˈhɑɹtəd/
hearted is pronounced HAHR-tuhd (/ˈhɑɹtəd/). It has two syllables (heart-ed), with the stress on "heart". Hearted is the past participle/adjective form related to the noun heart, used in compounds or figuratively to denote having a certain feeling, mindset, or quality (e.g., warm-hearted). It implies full alignment with the heart’s feelings rather than calculation or reserve. In everyday use, it modifies nouns or follows certain verbs to express emotional stance or disposition.
Hearted is the past participle/adjective form related to the noun heart, used in compounds or figuratively to denote having a certain feeling, mindset, or quality (e.g., warm-hearted). It implies full alignment with the heart’s feelings rather than calculation or reserve. In everyday use, it modifies nouns or follows certain verbs to express emotional stance or disposition.
"She gave a warm-hearted welcome to the guests."
"He is soft-hearted and always volunteers."
"The team had a good-hearted laugh about the mistake."
Pronounce it as /ˈhɑːr.tɪd/ in most dialects. The primary stress is on the first syllable: HEAR-ted. The vowel in the first syllable is the open back unrounded vowel similar to “car” in US English, or /ɑː/ in UK/AU varieties. The second syllable uses a short, lax /ɪ/ followed by a clear /d/. In rapid speech, the t can slightly soften in American usage (flapped or tapped), sounding like /ˈhɑɹɾɪd/ in casual speech, but careful enunciation maintains the /t/. Audio references: Cambridge/Forvo entries, and standard dictionaries provide audio pronunciations for US/UK/AU.
Common errors include: misplacing stress (e.g., HEAR-tid instead of HEAR-ted), confusing the vowel quality in the first syllable (using /e/ as in 'hair'), and softening the final /d/ too much, making it sound like /t/ or /d/ is devoiced. Correction tips: keep the first syllable’s /ɑ/ or /ɑː/ quality tense and open; ensure a distinct /t/ before the final /ɪd/ cluster; finish with a crisp /d/ release rather than a softened glide. Practice slowly with a clear pause between syllables until the /t/ is fully audible.
In US English, the first syllable often has /ˈhɑɹ/ with rhotic r; in UK English, /ˈhɑːtɪd/ or /ˈhɑːtɪd/ with non-rhotic r may sound shorter and more open; Australian tends to /ˈhɑːtɪd/ with broader vowel quality and non-rhotic tendencies similar to UK. The second syllable remains /ɪd/ or /ɪd/; across accents, the /t/ is a light alveolar stop; some US speakers might flapped-like nature in casual speech, producing a softer contrast before /ɚ/ or /ɪd/. Dialectal vowel shifts affect the open-back vowel length and r-coloring.
The challenge lies in maintaining a clear boundary between the open-back vowel in the first syllable and the final /ɪd/ cluster, especially in rapid speech; many learners merge the vowels or drop the /t/. The combination /ɑr/ or /ɑːr/ followed by /t/ requires precise tongue retraction and tension to avoid a melted /ɹ/ or a glottal stop before /d/. Additionally, US speakers sometimes voice the /d/ too quickly after a softened /t/, blurring syllable boundary. Focus on crisp alveolar /t/ and distinct /ɪd/ release.
There is no silent letter in 'hearted.' Each sound is pronounced in standard pronunciation: /h/, /ɑː/, /r/ (rhotic in US), /t/, /ɪ/, /d/. The 'ea' combination in hearted is not a digraph here; it is a straightforward sequence: h + ɑː + r + t + ɪ + d. Some rapid speech may reduce or assimilate the /t/ slightly, but the letter string remains phonetically active with all segments pronounced in careful speech.
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hearted derives from heart + suffix -ed. The noun heart originates from Old English heorte, akin to German Herz and Dutch hart, related to Proto-Germanic *hertô. The suffix -ed produced adjectives and past participles in Middle English, indicating “having” or “possessing” a quality; in hearted, it attests to possession of the heart’s described trait. The sense evolved from literal heart/body connotation to figurative dispositions (emotional states, temperament). Early attestations appear in Middle English texts, aligning with the broader semantic shift of heart as seat of emotion rather than anatomical organ alone. By Early Modern English, -ed adjectives like hearted joined compounds (kind-hearted, warm-hearted), solidifying its role in descriptive language for character and demeanor.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hearted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hearted"
-ted sounds
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