hero
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 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.
the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.
being or relating to a person or animal noted for special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities, especially bravery or devotion to duty; heroic: A hero cat helped a firefighter spot a small child in a burning building.
(in advertising and marketing) especially notable, important, or central: Producing new hero content twice a year can help your brand grow.Your hero product should be obvious on your website.
to praise or treat as special; laud: We hero the moms who were writing parenting guides and giving advice to new mothers.Over the years, the judging panel has rightly heroed brands championing equal rights.
to bring to attention; highlight: These dishes beautifully hero the fresh organic ginger.
Origin of hero
1usage note For hero
Other words for hero
Opposites for hero
Other words from hero
- he·ro·like, adjective
- sub·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)
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. 2024
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 | THE DAILY BEASTAmong 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 | THE DAILY BEASTMartin 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 | THE DAILY BEASTClaret 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 | THE DAILY BEASTNo 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 | THE 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 BlatchfordAll men are not heroes, and in many countries men may become average hunters without being particularly heroic.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. BallantyneBut very many kings, kings' sons, son-gods, and heroes had been crucified ages before Him.
God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordThose illustrious heroes of antiquity became the companions of her solitude and of her hourly thoughts.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. AbbottTheir 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)
/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /
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
Origin of hero
1British Dictionary definitions for Hero (2 of 3)
/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /
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)
Heron
/ (ˈhɪərəʊ) /
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
[ hē′rō ]
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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