hero

A2 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈhɪɹ.oʊ/ UK /ˈhɪə.ɹəʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #1206

Meanings

1

noun
A person who is admired for their bravery or for doing something good and difficult.

The firefighter was hailed as a hero for saving the trapped family.
2

noun
The main character in a story, film, or play, especially a good or admirable one.

The hero of the novel finally defeats his enemy.
3

noun
A person you admire greatly and want to be like.

My grandfather has always been my hero.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

bully daredevilgoodiehector lionlionheartsub thunderbolt tiger worthy wye

Opposites

antihero coward villain

Word family

Forms heroesheroics

Derived forms anti-heroantiherocyberheroherodomheroessherohoodheroicheroicsheroifyheroiseheroismheroization

Related forms brave demigodhalfgodkamikaze martyr modelshaheed

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

No man is a hero to his valet

Etymology

From Middle English heroes, from Old French heroes, from Latin hērōs (“hero”), from Ancient Greek ἥρως (hḗrōs, “demi-god, hero”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, protect”); if so, related to Latin servo (“protect”). Displaced Middle English heleð, haleð, from Old English hæleþ, hæle.

*ser- (guard) Proto-Indo-European heroes Middle English hērōs Latin ἥρως Ancient Greek *ser- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# hero

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈhɪɹ.oʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈhɪə.ɹəʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 1206

## Meanings
1. A person who is admired for their bravery or for doing something good and difficult.
2. The main character in a story, film, or play, especially a good or admirable one.
3. A person you admire greatly and want to be like.

## Examples
- The firefighter was hailed as a hero for saving the trapped family.
- The hero of the novel finally defeats his enemy.
- My grandfather has always been my hero.

## Synonyms
- bully
- daredevil
- goodie
- hector
- lion
- lionheart
- sub
- thunderbolt
- tiger
- worthy
- wye

## Antonyms
- antihero
- coward
- villain

## Derived Forms
- anti-hero
- antihero
- cyberhero
- herodom
- heroess
- herohood
- heroic
- heroics
- heroify
- heroise
- heroism
- heroization

## Related Forms
- brave
- demigod
- halfgod
- kamikaze
- martyr
- model
- shaheed

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ser- (guard)
- Root: heroes
- Root: hērōs
- Root: ἥρως
- Root: *ser-

## Etymology
From Middle English heroes, from Old French heroes, from Latin hērōs (“hero”), from Ancient Greek ἥρως (hḗrōs, “demi-god, hero”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, protect”); if so, related to Latin servo (“protect”). Displaced Middle English heleð, haleð, from Old English hæleþ, hæle.

## AI Etymology
Hero comes from Middle English heroes, from Old French heroes, from Latin hērōs (“hero”), from Ancient Greek ἥρως (hḗrōs, “demi-god, hero”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to watch over, protect”); if so, related to Latin servo (“protect”). Displaced Middle English heleð, haleð, from Old English hæleþ, hæle. In current use, the main senses are “A person who is admired for their bravery or for doing something good and difficult” and “The main character in a story, film, or play, especially a good or admirable one”.

## Topics
- People & Society

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