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Added 7 October 2026

hero

/ˈhɪə.ɹəʊ/ noun

In Latin: hērōs, hērōis Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about hero at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength.
RAF pilots were the heroes of the Battle of Britain
The principal character in a play or movie or novel or poem.
Someone who fights for a cause.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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