Are you looking for a way to tell someone that you're comfortable in your surroundings even while you're away from home? If so, you could use the saying "home is where the heart is" to show them that you're fine where you are. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this saying.
Meaning
The phrase "home is where the heart is" means that you feel emotionally connected to a place that is not your home. For instance, if you've lived abroad in another country other than your homeland for a long time, you could say that "home is where the heart is" when people ask you if you miss your home country.
The saying can also apply to situations where you're arriving back in your homeland after being away for a long time and missing your country of birth. The expression can also apply to homes and venues, and countries. For instance, you could be talking about your family home or an apartment that makes you feel at home.
The saying can apply to a situation where people like family and friends make you feel comfortable and at ease.
Example Usage
"I've been here ten years, and while I miss my family back in the UK, home is where the heart is, and I love my new country of residence."
"Home is where the heart is; it's not where you are right now."
"Thanks for letting me stay here the last few weeks, but home is where the heart is, and I think it's about time I got back."
"No matter where I travel to in the world, I always enjoy my time here most. Home is where the heart is, I guess."
"They all agreed that home is where the heart is as they sat down to say grace before dinner."
Origin
The origin of the proverbial saying "home is where the heart is" comes from the J. T. Bickford novel "Scandal," published in 1857. The expression appears like the following.
'Describe me a home, Willie.' 'Well, I should say, a woman of Kate Bently's appearance-' 'Nay, I said not a wife, but a home.' 'Home is where the heart is, Katie.'
Experts believe the saying was commonplace in the American language as early as the 1820s. The expression kept its original format over the last 200-years, and you probably hear people use it from time to time.
Phrases Similar to Home Is Where the Heart Is
- Home is where you lay your head.
Phrases Opposite to Home Is Where the Heart Is
- I don't feel at home here.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Home is where the heart is.
Ways People May Say Home Is Where the Heart Is Incorrectly
The phrase "home is where the heart is" doesn't have any physical reference to homes and buildings or hearts. It's an emotional state describing your attachment to a physical place and where you feel you belong in the world.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Home Is Where the Heart Is
The saying applies to your home and any location where you feel connected to the space, people, or culture. For instance, you could be an American living in London. Someone might say that you're an American, and you'll never be English, but you could reply with "home is where the heart is." Similarly, you could be talking to someone about missing America and being forced to stay in London, but America will always be your home because "home is where the heart is."