hero

[ heer-oh ]

/ ˈhɪər oʊ /

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noun, plural he·roes; for 6 also he·ros.

a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character: He became a local hero when he saved the drowning child.Compare heroine (def. 1).

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.Compare heroine (def. 2).

an animal acknowledged for its courageous acts, devotion to duty, etc.:This police dog hero was shot in the face during the apprehension of a suspect.

the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.Compare heroine (def. 3).

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.

hero sandwich.

the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.

OTHER WORDS FOR hero

4 lead, star.

See synonyms for hero on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR hero

4 villain, heavy.

See antonyms for hero on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of hero

First recorded in 1605–15; back formation from Middle English heroes (plural), from Latin hērōs (singular), hērōes (plural), from Greek hḗrōs, hḗrōes

usage note for hero

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM hero

he·ro·like, adjectivesub·he·ro, noun, plural sub·he·roes.un·he·ro, noun, plural un·he·roes.un·he·ro·like, adjective

Other definitions for hero (2 of 2)

Hero

[ heer-oh ]

/ ˈhɪər oʊ /

noun

Classical Mythology. a priestess of Aphrodite who drowned herself after her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her.

Also He·ron

[heer-on] /ˈhɪər ɒn/ .Hero of Alexandria, flourished 1st century a.d., Greek scientist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use hero in a sentence

Finally, we have a major film on civil rights in which African Americans are the heroes in their own story.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Among the characters to be portrayed were the people I had written about—the unsung heroes of the Selma campaign.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Oskar Schindler—these names come readily to mind when we think of heroes of conscience.
The Catholic Philosopher Who Took on Hitler|John Henry Crosby|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Claret for boys, port for men, and brandy for heroes, according to Dr. Johnson, and Hitch went for the heroic.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

No one wanted them to succeed, not the cops, the heroes, not the villains.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My point is not that these heroes were bad men, but that, in a book alleged to be the word of God, they are treated as heroes.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
All men are not heroes, and in many countries men may become average hunters without being particularly heroic.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
But very many kings, kings' sons, son-gods, and heroes had been crucified ages before Him.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
Those illustrious heroes of antiquity became the companions of her solitude and of her hourly thoughts.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
Their beaming faces showed what heroes they considered themselves, and they longed to get on shore to recount their adventures.
Skipper Worse|Alexander Lange Kielland

British Dictionary definitions for hero (1 of 3)

hero

/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /

noun plural -roes

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

Word Origin for hero

C14: from Latin hērōs, from Greek

British Dictionary definitions for hero (2 of 3)

Hero¹

/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /

noun

Greek myth a priestess of Aphrodite, who killed herself when her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her

British Dictionary definitions for hero (3 of 3)

Hero²

Heron

/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /

noun

1st century ad, Greek mathematician and inventor

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for hero

Hero

[ hē′rō ]

First century ce

Greek mathematician who wrote on mechanics and invented many water-driven and steam-driven machines. He also developed a formula for determining the area of a triangle.

hero

OTHER WORDS FOR hero

OPPOSITES FOR hero

Origin of hero

usage note for hero

OTHER WORDS FROM hero

Other definitions for hero (2 of 2)

Words related to hero

How to use hero in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hero (1 of 3)

Word Origin for hero

British Dictionary definitions for hero (2 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for hero (3 of 3)

Heron

Scientific definitions for hero