superhero

[ soo-per-heer-oh ]

noun

, plural su·per·he·roes.

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

As the pioneer of two gigantic genres — the swashbuckler and the superhero movie — “The Mark of Zorro” earned its entry into the National Film Registry in 2015.

From Washington Post

When he watched the now-famous “No Man’s Land” scene, when Wonder Woman makes her superhero introduction on a World War I battlefield, “I remember being very aware that I was having an emotional experience to an action sequence,” he said.

From Washington Post

The studio had already announced a similar policy for the superhero blockbuster “Wonder Woman 1984,” which will hit big and small screens on Christmas Day — a decision that many considered a one-off.

From Washington Post

Prowse said the most satisfying period of his acting career was the years he spent playing the Green Cross Code Man, a cape-wearing superhero who warns children to follow safety rules when crossing streets.

From Washington Post

Think of this system as your own personal team of superheroes.

From Science News For Students

Now Jena Malone is 30, and with roles in Inherent Vice, The Hunger Games, and a massive superhero film, all the rage.

From The Daily Beast

But it is particularly galling to watch the feminist superhero be treated in such a way.

From The Daily Beast

Brash, crass, and overflowing with wiseass attitude, he remains the ultimate postmodern superhero.

From The Daily Beast

Brash, crass, and sporting a perpetually raised eyebrow, Ash Williams remains the ultimate postmodern superhero.

From The Daily Beast

A conservative coloring book publisher is out with a new title imagining the tea party heartthrob as a bona fide superhero.

From The Daily Beast

For this is the secret of the soul: when the hero hath abandoned it, then only approacheth it in dreams—the superhero.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hero