hero

¹

[ heer-oh ]

noun

, plural he·roes; also he·ros.

1. a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character: Compare heroine ( def 1 ).

   He became a local hero when he saved the drowning child.

2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal: Compare heroine ( def 2 ).

   My older sister is my hero.

   Entrepreneurs are our modern heroes.

3. an animal acknowledged for its courageous acts, devotion to duty, etc.:

   This police dog hero was shot during the apprehension of a suspect.

4. the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc. Compare heroine ( def 3 ).

   Synonyms: star, lead

   Antonyms: heavy, villain

5. Classical Mythology.
   1. a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
   2. (in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
   3. (in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
6. hero sandwich ( def ).
7. the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.

adjective

1. 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.

2. (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.

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to bring to attention; highlight:

   These dishes beautifully hero the fresh organic ginger.

Hero

²

[ heer-oh ]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a priestess of Aphrodite who drowned herself after her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her.
2. Also He·ron []. Hero of Alexandria, flourished 1st century a.d., Greek scientist.

hero

¹

/ ˈhɪərəʊ /

noun

1. a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, fortitude, etc
2. a man who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in any field
3. classical myth a being of extraordinary strength and courage, often the offspring of a mortal and a god, who is celebrated for his exploits
4. the principal male character in a novel, play, etc

Hero

²

/ ˈhɪərəʊ /

noun

1. Greek myth a priestess of Aphrodite, who killed herself when her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her

Hero

³

/ ˈhɪərəʊ /

noun

1. Hero1st century1st centuryMGreekSCIENCE: mathematicianTECHNOLOGY: inventor 1st century ad , Greek mathematician and inventor

Hero

/ hē′rō /

1. 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.

Gender Note

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.

Other Words From

• he·ro·like adjective
• sub·he·ro noun plural subheroes
• un·he·ro noun plural unheroes
• un·he·ro·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hero¹

First recorded in 1605–15; back formation from Middle English heroes (plural), from Latin hērōs (singular), hērōes (plural), from Greek hḗrōs, hḗrōes

Word History and Origins

Origin of hero¹

C14: from Latin hērōs, from Greek

Example Sentences

He’s the one with the Oxford accent and amusing tales who hands around the port and cigars while he plots the hero’s demise.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2012, Washington starred in “Flight,” a film about an alcoholic airline pilot whose drinking habits are thrust into the spotlight after a miraculous emergency landing renders him a hero.

From Los Angeles Times

When the postseason Dodgers needed a hero, he had big hits in the division series opener, the division series clincher, and the clinching World Series Game 5.

From Los Angeles Times

“I didn’t want to do something that felt like an archetypal action hero,” said Egerton.

From BBC

They will leave their neighborhood schools as hometown heroes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• eidolon
• example
• exemplar
• good example
• icon
• ideal
• idol
• model
• paragon
• person to look up to
• role model
• shining example

What Is The Plural Of Hero?

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.