soldier's heart: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowHistorical, Literary, Technical/Medical (Historical)
Quick answer
What does “soldier's heart” mean?
A historical term for a combat-related mental and physical condition now understood as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), particularly from the American Civil War, characterized by anxiety, heart palpitations, and breathlessness.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical term for a combat-related mental and physical condition now understood as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), particularly from the American Civil War, characterized by anxiety, heart palpitations, and breathlessness.
A poignant metaphor for the lasting psychological and emotional wounds inflicted by the trauma of warfare; a specific, dated medical diagnosis.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originated in the context of the American Civil War ('Da Costa's syndrome'). In British historical/medical contexts, 'shell shock' (WWI) is a more common parallel historical term.
Connotations
US: Strong association with 19th-century medicine and Civil War history. UK: Recognized but less culturally central; may be viewed as an Americanism for a specific historical condition.
Frequency
Extremely low in both, but slightly higher in American historical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “soldier's heart” in a Sentence
He was diagnosed with soldier's heart.The condition known as soldier's heart...Soldier's heart afflicted many veterans.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “soldier's heart” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The physician noted the patient appeared to be soldier's-hearting.
American English
- Veterans soldier's-hearted in silence after the war.
adverb
British English
- He struggled soldier's-heartedly with civilian life.
American English
- He described the fatigue soldier's-heartly.
adjective
British English
- He had a soldier's-heart look about him.
American English
- The soldier's-heart symptoms were debilitating.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, medical history, or literary studies papers discussing 19th-century medicine or the psychological impact of the Civil War.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used poetically or in historical fiction.
Technical
Obsolete medical term; relevant only in historical medical texts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “soldier's heart”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “soldier's heart”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “soldier's heart”
- Using it to refer to modern PTSD in a clinical setting.
- Using it as a general term for bravery ('He showed a soldier's heart').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It described the same cluster of symptoms we now call PTSD, but was understood within the limited medical framework of its time, often as a physical cardiac disorder.
No. It is a historical term. Using it today would be inaccurate and potentially dismissive. The correct contemporary term is PTSD or combat stress injury.
There is no direct British equivalent for this specific American Civil War term. The closest British historical parallel is 'shell shock' from World War I.
Because the primary symptoms (palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness) were mistakenly thought to originate from a physical disorder of the heart caused by military service.
A historical term for a combat-related mental and physical condition now understood as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), particularly from the American Civil War, characterized by anxiety, heart palpitations, and breathlessness.
Soldier's heart is usually historical, literary, technical/medical (historical) in register.
Soldier's heart: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsəʊl.dʒəz ˈhɑːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsoʊl.dʒɚz ˈhɑːrt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[The term itself is idiomatic/historical]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Picture a Civil War soldier clutching his chest, his 'heart' wounded not by a bullet but by the horror he has witnessed.
Conceptual Metaphor
PSYCHOLOGICAL PAIN IS PHYSICAL PAIN (LOCATED IN THE HEART); TRAUMA IS A HEART CONDITION.
Practice
Quiz
In which conflict was the term 'soldier's heart' primarily used?