plural heroes
Definition of hero
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b
: an illustrious warrior
c
: a person admired for achievements and noble qualities
d
: one who shows great courage
2a
: the principal character in a literary or dramatic work
—used specifically of a principal male character especially when contrasted with heroine A special feature was the cliff-hanger ending when hero, heroine, or both found themselves confronting a violent demise …— Ira Konigsberg —now also used of a principal character who is female … action movies with female heroes are emerging more frequently, and with increasing quality.— William Bibbiani
b
: the central figure in an event, period, or movement
Hero
noun (2)Definition of Hero (Entry 2 of 2)
: a legendary priestess of Aphrodite loved by Leander
Test Your Vocabulary
Words Named After People
-
- Namesake of the leotard, Jules Léotard had what profession?

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share hero
Time Traveler for hero
The first known use of hero was in the 14th century
See more words from the same century