hero

noun

Somebody who possesses great bravery and carries out extraordinary or noble deeds.

A role model.

The protagonist in a work of fiction.

(New York) A large sandwich made from meats and cheeses; a hero sandwich.

(poker) The current player, especially a hypothetical player for example and didactic purposes. Compare: villain (“any opponent player”). Not to be confused with hero call (“a weak call against a supposed bluff”).

(web design) The eye-catching top portion of a web page, sometimes including a hero image; the portion above the fold.

(film, photography, chiefly attributive) The product chosen from several candidates to be photographed, as in food advertising, or with props used in a movie.

(cooking) The standout component of a dish; the part of a dish that should take center stage on the palate.

(Greek mythology) Any of a number of legendary men and women, including the priestess loved by Leander.

(rare) A female given name from Ancient Greek of English-speakers.

verb

(informal, intransitive) To act as a hero (brave person; role model; or protagonist).

(transitive) To praise or laud.

(transitive) To bring attention to; to highlight; to spotlight.

Roots

heroshero- · Greek · hero, demigod

Synonyms for hero

heroinen championn protagonistn paladinn antiheron warriorn valiantadj braveadj demigodn charactern

Synonyms & related words for hero

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of hero — including heroine, champion, protagonist, paladin, antihero, warrior. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to hero

Explore words related to hero — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include nonhero, heroic, antiheroine, unheroic, heroical, heroism, antiheroic, superhero. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for hero

Common synonyms for hero include heroine, champion, protagonist, paladin, antihero, warrior, valiant, brave — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does hero come from?

The word hero breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root hero-, from Greek heros (“hero, demigod”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.