heroine

[ her-oh-in ]

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.

heroine

/ 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

Gender Note

See hero.

Other Words From

• super·hero·ine noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of heroine¹

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

Example Sentences

In this year's John Lewis advert, the heroine, Sally, is seen frantically doing last-minute shopping for her sister.

From BBC

The heroine of the blockbuster musical ‘Wicked,’ who is othered because of her skin color, has been primarily played by white actors since 2003.

From Los Angeles Times

“So here I am, starring in a movie where I’m literally playing a heroine with one of the biggest directors — Black or white — of our generation,” she writes.

From Los Angeles Times

Farrow talks about her acting career as though she were recalling a Charlotte Bronte novel about an insecure heroine surviving a series of dangerous scrapes and nefarious characters.

From Los Angeles Times

By the end of our conversation — during which I may be the only person to touch the potato pancakes being passed around the table — I’m ready to make like a Hallmark heroine, leave the big city behind and take over a struggling Christmas tree farm somewhere in Vermont.

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