Where does “heartquake” come from?

heartquake (English) comes from English heart, from Middle English herte, from Old English heorte, from Proto-West Germanic hertā, from Proto-Germanic hertô, from Proto-Indo-European ḱḗr — heart.

heartquake (English): Trembling of the heart; trepidation; fear

Definitions

  1. Trembling of the heart; trepidation; fear

Ancestry of “heartquake”, step by step

heartquake traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English heart

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishheartA muscular organ that pumps blood through the...
2Middle EnglishherteThe heart; One's inner self; the mind or...
3Old Englishheorteheart
4Proto-West Germanichertāheart
5Proto-Germanichertôheart
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱḗrheart

via English Quake

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishQuakeThe 99th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an
2Middle EnglishquakenTo tremble with fear or anger; To tremble from...
3Old Englishcwacianto quake
4Proto-Germanickwakōnąto shake, quiver, tremble; to croak
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷog-to shake, swing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱḗr →Every word from Proto-Germanic hertô →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hertā →