black-hearted
Meaning
Possessing a cruel, malicious, and often evil disposition.
Origin
The concept of 'black-hearted' taps into an incredibly old, deeply ingrained human intuition: that darkness equates to evil. For millennia, across cultures, the color black has been a potent symbol of night, absence, and the sinister forces that lurk unseen. Couple that with 'heart,' which our ancestors believed was the very seat of emotion, morality, and one's true character. To have a 'black heart,' then, was to possess a soul utterly corrupted, devoid of light, compassion, or goodness. This vivid, intuitive metaphor, solidified in English by the 16th century, instantly conjures an image of profound cruelty and malice, making it a timeless descriptor for those whose intentions are purely wicked.
Examples
- Everyone in the village knew the old merchant was black-hearted, always looking for ways to exploit the poor.
- Her betrayal revealed her true nature, proving she was a black-hearted individual with no empathy.