Meanings
nounheart of glass (plural hearts of glass)
plural hearts of glass
- figurativelyidiomaticA heart (or by extension, person) in a very fragile romantic state: one that is easily made broken-hearted.
Once I had a love and it was a gas / Soon turned out, had a heart of glass
1978, Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, “Heart of Glass”, in Parallel Lines, performed by Blondie1 more example
You've got a heart of glass or a heart of stone / Just you wait 'til I get you home
1986, “West End Girls”, in Please, performed by Pet Shop Boys
Origin
By metaphor, from the notion that glass is fragile (easily broken).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish haavoittuva mielentila
- haavoittuva mielentilaheart in a very fragile state
Polish szklane serce
- szklane serceheart in a very fragile state
Portuguese coração de vidro
- coração de vidroheart in a very fragile state
Cite this entry
APA
heart of glass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heart%20of%20glass
MLA
“heart of glass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heart%20of%20glass. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heart of glass,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heart%20of%20glass.
Source: heart of glass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.