heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən  ˈhir- 

ˈhe-rə-

1

a

: a mythological or legendary woman often of divine descent having great strength or ability

b

: a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities

American heroines such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks

remembered as the heroine of the flood

2

a

: the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work

the heroine of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

b

: the central female figure in an event or period

Examples of heroine in a Sentence

The town remembered her as the heroine of the flood and erected a statue in her honor.

Recent Examples on the Web

The beauty and terror of the landscape says more than the taciturn locals could ever hope or want to explain, and temporal loops lead our heroines not just astray, but on an existential journey. —Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025

In her first adult mystery-thriller, YA darling Holly Jackson assembles a scenario in which a desperate heroine must solve her own murder. —Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025

Top 5 Can’t Miss Stroll through the cobblestone streets of the charming Città Antica and visit the Casa di Giulietta, home to Shakespeare’s most legendary heroine. —Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025

Hedda Nia DaCosta reimagines Henrik Ibsen’s famous anti-heroine as a sociopathic high-society hostess channeling all her frustration into manipulating the many people obsessed with her like an impulsive puppeteer. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heroine

• heroin

Kids Definition

heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən 

1

: a woman in legends or myths who has great courage and daring

2

: a woman admired for her achievements and qualities

3

: the chief female figure in a literary work or in an event or period