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

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

Think of it more as an inversion, with a bottom-up view of its heroine Emma Harte’s life viewed through parallel timelines.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

It works splendidly for countless reasons, not the least of which is Neill’s presence as the charming suitor of Davis’ headstrong heroine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 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

Then they would know she was a heroine, too.

From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026

In “Trouble,” she buzzes with nervous energy, her dizzying delivery of Raphaelson’s smart dialogue creating the template for the screwball heroines soon to follow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

He’s a little too awful for me, but I do think we could use less sanitized heroes and heroines in modern love stories.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026

Over the years, Dharmendra said he was cast against 70 heroines, but his most successful screen pairing was with Hema Malini, who later became his second wife.

From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2025

I thought of all those heroines of fiction who looked pretty when they cried, and what a contrast I must make with blotched and swollen face, and red rims to my eyes.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

Related Words

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