heroism
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of heroism
Explanation
When you think of heroism, you might think of great acts of bravery, such as rushing into burning buildings and facing danger in battle. Heroism consists of putting others first, even at your own peril. The noun heroism comes from the Greek hērōs, which referred to a demigod. As someone who shows great courage and valor is referred to as a hero, their actions are considered to be acts of heroism. 19th Century lawyer Robert Green Ingersoll said it well: “When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death — that is heroism.”
Vocabulary lists containing heroism
Veterans Day Vocabulary
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"The Necklace" and "The Fashion Show"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A famous mine-clearing rat, who was awarded a gold medal for his heroism, has been commemorated with the world's first statue dedicated to a landmine-detecting rat.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Iskander’s David is a young man whose youthful piety and heroism make him a sympathetic figure, notwithstanding the bag of cold cuts.
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
Three series from Jerry Bruckheimer Television currently fill CBS’s prime time schedule on Fridays: “Fire Country,” a drama about wildfire crews in California, that mixes working-class heroism with a dose of outlaw culture.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026
Extremely online observers came up with bizarre metaphors to characterize Anthropic’s heroism and pushed Claude to the top of the app-store charts over the weekend.
From Slate • Mar. 3, 2026
Some dimension of heroism has been added to me.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
