heroine

American  

[her-oh-in] / ˈhɛr oʊ ɪn /

noun

• heroines
  plural

1. a woman noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.

   Esther and other biblical heroines.

2. a woman who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal.

   Name two women who have been heroines in your life.

3. the principal female character in a story, play, film, etc.

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heroine British  

/ ˈhɛrəʊɪn /

noun

1. a woman possessing heroic qualities

2. a woman idealized for possessing superior qualities

3. the main female character in a novel, play, film, etc

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Gender

See hero.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superheroine
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• heroines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of heroine

1650–60; < Latin hērōīnē < Greek hērōī́nē, feminine of hḗrōs hero; see -ine ²

Explanation

A heroine is a real-life or fictional woman who has lots of courage and fights on the side of good, maybe by rescuing a kitten from a tree, slaying an evil dragon, or helping you with your science fair project. In books and movies, the heroine is the woman who is the main character, and in comic books and fantasy novels, heroines often have superpowers that help them accomplish incredible feats. There are heroines in regular life too, like women’s rights activists who fight against sexism, or a brave mother who rescues her child from a burning building. Heroine sounds the same as the addictive drug heroin, but a heroine will save your life, while heroin will probably end it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

heroine heroines

Our titular heroine is only 13 years old when her escapade begins – a little more mature than most of the director’s protagonists, but still innocent enough not to be jaded.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026

It gives the story some tension, and shows that our heroine isn’t perfect — she’s just doing her best under desert skies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui, while the titular heroine will be played by newcomer Catherine Laga’aia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

"Like its own heroine, it feels stuck somewhere between the show it thought it wanted to be and the show it has the potential to become," she wrote.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

And much of that was thanks to cells from one woman, “an unsung heroine of medicine.”

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

I could easily hail “Howl’s Moving Castle” as a tribute to maturity, especially when placed against other Miyazaki stories starring young heroines setting out on adventures.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

As heroines Brenda and Cindy, respectively, Hall and Faris were daffy, dopey and committed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

She has made images of performers such as Charles Dance and Roger Daltrey and Second World War heroines such as Noor Inayat Khan and Violette Szabo.

From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026

Ms. Morrison wanted to infuse opera with new people, new voices, new forms, and stories that didn’t necessarily end with dead heroines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026

The heroes and heroines of the early stories face disaster.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• beau ideal
• eidolon
• epitome
• example
• exemplar
• good example
• icon
• ideal
• idol
• model
• paragon
• person to look up to
• role model
• shining example