heroic

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /hɪˈroʊɪk/ UK /hɪˈrəʊɪk/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
having the courage or qualities of a hero

The firefighter made a heroic dash into the collapsing building.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having the courage or... brave valiant courageous gallant intrepid bold dauntless valorous

Opposites

cowardly craven timid fainthearted pusillanimous

Word family

Forms heroicalheroically

Derived forms heroicallyheroics

Related forms hero heroism heroine

Etymology

From Middle French heroique, from Latin heroicus, from Ancient Greek hērōikos, from hērōs ('hero, demigod').

heroicus Latin ἡρωικός Ancient Greek ἥρως Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# heroic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** hɪˈroʊɪk
**IPA (UK):** hɪˈrəʊɪk

## Meanings
1. having the courage or qualities of a hero

## Examples
- The firefighter made a heroic dash into the collapsing building.

## Synonyms
- brave
- valiant
- courageous
- gallant
- intrepid
- bold
- dauntless
- valorous

## Antonyms
- cowardly
- craven
- timid
- fainthearted
- pusillanimous

## Derived Forms
- heroically
- heroics

## Related Forms
- hero
- heroism
- heroine

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: heroicus
- Root: ἡρωικός
- Root: ἥρως

## Etymology
From Middle French heroique, from Latin heroicus, from Ancient Greek hērōikos, from hērōs ('hero, demigod').

## AI Etymology
Heroic comes from Middle French heroique, from Latin heroicus, from Ancient Greek hērōikos, from hērōs ('hero, demigod'). The etymological trail includes Latin heroicus, Ancient Greek ἡρωικός, and Ancient Greek ἥρως. As an adjective, heroic describes what is having the courage or qualities of a hero. The same family is visible in derived forms such as heroically and heroics and related forms such as hero, heroism, and heroine.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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