superhero

[soo-per-heer-oh]

noun

plural

superheroes 

1. a morally righteous hero in a fictional work who possesses extraordinary abilities or supernatural powers and uses them to fight evil, as in comic books and movies.

   Many classic superheroes wear masks to maintain their secret identities.

superhero

/ ˈsuːpəˌhɪərəʊ /

noun

1. any of various comic-strip characters with superhuman abilities or magical powers, wearing a distinctive costume, and fighting against evil

Word History and Origins

Origin of superhero¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; from French super-héros

Example Sentences

Though the new animated feature “Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires” bears the name of one the most emblematic American superheroes, its creation was entirely a Mexican affair.

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In a cinema landscape full of superheroes and robots, Fast & Furious found a lane for fans of over-the-top auto stunts and a huge, racially diverse cast who emphasize their bonds as a family.

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The Smiths are a wealthy superhero team known as The Top Trio.

Read more on Salon

When he eventually signed on for a superhero film, it was, fittingly, alongside Captain America, that upright paragon of virtue — and Redford played the villain.

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Though he had been involved with smaller-scale, socially conscious dramas, he also jumped on the superhero bandwagon by enlisting in Marvel’s juggernaut franchise “Captain America: Winter Soldier.”

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Related Words

• hero