a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character.
He became a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
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.
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.
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.
Classical Mythology. a priestess of Aphrodite who drowned herself after her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her.
Also Heron Hero of Alexandria, flourished 1st century a.d., Greek scientist.
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
Plural word for hero The plural form of the noun hero is heroes. The plurals of other singular words that end in -o are also formed in this way, including potato/potatoes, tomato/tomatoes, and echo/echoes. This can be confusing, because in some instances, words that end in -o are pluralized by simply adding an -s to the end, as in mango/mangos and flamingo/flamingos. However, the plural form heros is only valid when hero is used in the sense of a “hero sandwich.” This usage is very rare.
In its earliest use, the word hero was applied almost exclusively to a man. The corresponding word heroine was–and still is–reserved for a woman. Hero is still sometimes used to refer specifically to a man: British heroes and heroines. But hero is now considered to be a gender-neutral word, and is also increasingly used to refer to a woman: a list of American heroes; Joan of Arc, a French hero. In the sense "the principal character in a story, play, etc.," a hero is male and a heroine is female: Margaret is the novel’s heroine.
First recorded in 1605–15; back formation from Middle English heroes (plural), from Latin hērōs (singular), hērōes (plural), from Greek hḗrōs, hḗrōes
Yes, a hero is a kind of sandwich. But when David Bowie sings, “We can be heroes,” he’s not talking about sandwiches. He’s talking about the more popular kind of hero — the kind who saves your life! A hero is someone who does fantastic things that people love. The guy who rescues a skater from a frozen pond is a hero. A hero can be the main character of a story, too, if people root for him. Spiderman is the hero of the comic series: he's the central character, but he also saves people. The word hero goes back to the Greek, referring to a demigod.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not many people would have imagined that Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha, would become the hero of his country's World Cup debut against Spain.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
So when he heard on social media that Germans were congregating in Times Square, Altmeks readily pulled on a jersey of his hero Rudi Voller -- plus a wig mimicking the famed striker's blond curls.
From Barron's • Jun. 27, 2026
That followed an incredible goalless draw in their opening game against Spain, where 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha was the hero, and a 2-2 draw with two-time World Cup winners Uruguay.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
He was hailed as a returning hero, with parades and celebrations from Portland to Savannah, St. Louis and New Orleans.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
My hero’s going to a tiny Pacific island, where, faster than a shopper at a half-price sale, he’ll set off again to rescue the lady hero.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
