Hebe

¹

[ heeb ]

noun

, Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Jew.

Hebe

²

[ hee-bee ]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a goddess of youth and spring, the daughter of Zeus and Hera, and wife of Hercules.

hebe

³

[ hee-bee ]

noun

1. any of various shrubs and trees belonging to the genus Hebe, of the figwort family, native mostly to New Zealand, having evergreen leaves and clusters or spikes of white, pink, or purple flowers.

Hebe

/ ˈhiːbɪ /

noun

1. Greek myth the goddess of youth and spring, daughter of Zeus and Hera and wife of Hercules

Word History and Origins

Origin of Hebe¹

First recorded in 1930–35; shortening of Hebrew

Origin of Hebe²

< New Latin (1789), apparently after Hebe

Example Sentences

There were moments when Hebe de Bonafini inspired the world: defying Argentina’s military junta to lead a mothers’ campaign seeking justice for thousands of people “disappeared” by the dictatorship — including her two sons and daughter-in-law.

From Washington Post

Lives lived: Hebe de Bonafini became a human rights campaigner when her two sons were arrested and disappeared under Argentina’s military dictatorship.

From New York Times

Lives Lived: Hebe de Bonafini helped build the protest movement the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo after her sons disappeared under Argentina’s military dictatorship.

From New York Times

Hebe did not attend middle school because her parents couldn’t afford the bus fare.

From New York Times

Hebe de Bonafini founded the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo with other women in 1977, to demand the return of their children who had been kidnapped by security forces.

From BBC