heroine

American  

[her-oh-in] / ˈhɛr oʊ ɪn /

noun

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

• superheroine noun

Etymology

Origin of heroine

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

Example Sentences

Eventually she started Go Gentle, but still, her heroine was a downer.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Game of Thrones star plays heroine Lara Croft - a globe-trotting archaeologist - in the upcoming video game adaptation.

From BBC

Cinematographer Isaac Bauman’s eye never stops moving — an independent narrator telling a different story than the one starring our heroine.

From Los Angeles Times

And Paul’s casting as “The Bachelorette” makes her the first heroine who was not a contestant on a previous season of “The Bachelor.”

From Los Angeles Times

As Ellen Ripley, Sigourney Weaver meets the threat with grit and nerve in a situation where there is nowhere to go and no help coming, a performance that helped define the modern action heroine.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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