hearty
hearty Lexical Profile
hearty Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Wholesome, substantial, and nourishing (of food or a meal); or large and healthy (of an appetite).
"After hiking through the snow all morning, the climbers sat down to a hearty bowl of beef stew."
Loudly vigorous, cheerful, and jovial in manner or expression.
"Our host greeted everyone at the door with a hearty laugh and a firm handshake."
Deeply felt, sincere, and unfeigned (of a feeling, opinion, or endorsement).
"The retiring professor received a hearty round of applause and sincere gratitude from her colleagues."
Strong, vigorous, and in good physical health.
"Even in his late eighties, my grandfather remained remarkably hale and hearty."
• noun
A brave, vigorous comrade or fellow sailor (historically used in the plural as a nautical term of address, or in reference to a loudly cheerful, sporty person).
"In classic maritime tales, the captain often rallies his crew by calling them his hearties."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'hearty' (warm, enthusiastic, or nourishing) with the homophone 'hardy' (robust and capable of enduring difficult conditions or cold weather).
• Rhymes for hearty
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'herti', formed from 'herte' (from Old English 'heorte', meaning 'heart') plus the adjectival suffix '-y', originally meaning full of courage or spirit.