a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.
He became a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal.
My older sister is my hero.
Entrepreneurs are our modern heroes.
an animal acknowledged for its courageous acts, devotion to duty, etc..
This police dog hero was shot during the apprehension of a suspect.
the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.
Classical Mythology.
a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
(in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
(in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.
being or relating to a person or animal noted for special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities, especially bravery or devotion to duty; heroic.
A hero cat helped a firefighter spot a small child in a burning building.
(in advertising and marketing) especially notable, important, or central.
Producing new hero content twice a year can help your brand grow.
Your hero product should be obvious on your website.
to praise or treat as special; laud.
We hero the moms who were writing parenting guides and giving advice to new mothers.
Over the years, the judging panel has rightly heroed brands championing equal rights.
to bring to attention; highlight.
These dishes beautifully hero the fresh organic ginger.
Classical Mythology. a priestess of Aphrodite who drowned herself after her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her.
Also Heron Hero of Alexandria, flourished 1st century a.d., Greek scientist.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, fortitude, etc
a man who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in any field
classical myth a being of extraordinary strength and courage, often the offspring of a mortal and a god, who is celebrated for his exploits
the principal male character in a novel, play, etc
Plural word for hero The plural form of the noun hero is heroes. The plurals of other singular words that end in -o are also formed in this way, including potato/potatoes, tomato/tomatoes, and echo/echoes. This can be confusing, because in some instances, words that end in -o are pluralized by simply adding an -s to the end, as in mango/mangos and flamingo/flamingos. However, the plural form heros is only valid when hero is used in the sense of a “hero sandwich.” This usage is very rare.
In its earliest use, the word hero was applied almost exclusively to a man. The corresponding word heroine was–and still is–reserved for a woman. Hero is still sometimes used to refer specifically to a man: British heroes and heroines. But hero is now considered to be a gender-neutral word, and is also increasingly used to refer to a woman: a list of American heroes; Joan of Arc, a French hero. In the sense "the principal character in a story, play, etc.," a hero is male and a heroine is female: Margaret is the novel’s heroine.
First recorded in 1605–15; back formation from Middle English heroes (plural), from Latin hērōs (singular), hērōes (plural), from Greek hḗrōs, hḗrōes
Yes, a hero is a kind of sandwich. But when David Bowie sings, “We can be heroes,” he’s not talking about sandwiches. He’s talking about the more popular kind of hero — the kind who saves your life! A hero is someone who does fantastic things that people love. The guy who rescues a skater from a frozen pond is a hero. A hero can be the main character of a story, too, if people root for him. Spiderman is the hero of the comic series: he's the central character, but he also saves people. The word hero goes back to the Greek, referring to a demigod.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Aung San is "engraved in people's memory" as Myanmar's independence hero, and many see his legacy being continued by his daughter, according to Myanmar specialist Moe Thuzar.
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
A national hero of Barbados, he was a legend in the West Indies on the back of a Test career that spanned 20 years, and was knighted soon after his retirement.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Local hero Tommy Fleetwood, who hails from nearby Southport, did exactly that when Birkdale last hosted the Open in 2017 with an opening round of six over.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
A decade and a half later, in an All-Star Game that was short on drama and long on tributes to Trout, the hometown hero and future Hall of Famer, Crow-Armstrong shared center field with Trout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
“I know I was kind of hard on you earlier, but I can understand not wanting to become some hero out of nowhere.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
Other awards included being named an official National Hero by the Barbados parliament, and an Officer of the Order of Australia, having acquired dual Australian citizenship through his marriage to Prudence Kirby.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins - also known for hits including Holding Out For A Hero and Here She Comes - is survived by her husband of more than 50 years, Robert Sullivan.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Find insight on Korean Air Lines, Delivery Hero, Hapag-Lloyd and more in the latest Market Talks covering auto and transport.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Delivery Hero shares are up 5.8% at 39.10 euros.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Claudio and Hero—Shakespeare wasn’t all that good about his names—Claudio and Hero would have a whole lot to do just to get up to where Romeo and Juliet were.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
Haaland’s singularity was a testament to how humanity seeks heroes — but Spain’s ultimate triumph via crisp passes and selfless teamwork offered a stirring, convincing collective counterpoint.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The new format, expanding team participation from 32 to 48, has brought to center stage smaller, underdog countries that have outperformed expectations, produced unexpected heroes and warmed our collective hearts.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
As a boy, Loftus would keep up with his heroes on the team’s local radio and TV station, and occasionally on a weekend network broadcast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Whether he was playing steely but likeable heroes or a chillingly menacing villains, Neill was one of the most versatile stars in the film industry and always commanded attention on screen.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Only after the heroes had bathed and refreshed themselves with meat and drink could King Æetes ask them who they were and why they had come.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
To mix it up, leftovers can easily be made into meatball heros.
From Salon ● Aug. 28, 2021
I’m sure the jobless, teachers, medical heros and first responders can sleep well tonight knowing these two gentlemen can survive.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 4, 2020
It is completely self-serving for the author to portray himself or herself, along with fellow resistors, as heros.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 7, 2018
Shaw posted a photo to Twitter of himself and student activist Emma González with the caption, “I met one of my heros today.”
From Washington Post ● May 14, 2018
I always said that young man was 'un heros de romans!'
From John Halifax, Gentleman by Craik, Dinah Maria Mulock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
