'heartfelt' originates from Middle English, combining 'heart' and 'felt', where 'heart' meant 'the seat of emotions' and 'felt' meant 'experienced or perceived'.

'heartfelt' changed from the Middle English word 'hertfelte' and eventually became the modern English word 'heartfelt'.

Initially, it meant 'felt deeply in the heart', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.