heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən How to pronounce heroine (audio) ˈhir- How to pronounce heroine (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This story is full of secrets — the heroine has multiple identities as a newspaper editor and club owner, a Latina and a witch, passing as a mundane white woman in an era when even that isn’t especially safe. Lia Amador, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025 So what does that mean, exactly, for fans of the show and its titular heroine? Charlie Mason, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025 Shu Qi has spent her career embodying other people’s stories — enigmatic drifters for Hou Hsiao-hsien, comic foils in international action franchises, or, more recently, the tragic heroine of Bi Gan’s Cannes award winner Resurrection. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025 Love at first sight Earhart, then a social worker living in Boston, interviewed to be part of the three-person crew making that historic 1928 trans-Atlantic flight, and Putnam quickly spotted her potential to be his new adventure heroine. ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heroine

Word History

Etymology

Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of heroine was in 1587

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heroine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroine. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

heroine

noun
her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən How to pronounce heroine (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on heroine

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