hero

[heer-oh] /ˈhɪər oʊ/
noun, plural heroes; for 5 also heros.
1.
a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.
2.
a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal:
He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child.
3.
the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc.
4.
Classical Mythology.
  1. a being of godlike prowess and beneficence who often came to be honored as a divinity.
  2. (in the Homeric period) a warrior-chieftain of special strength, courage, or ability.
  3. (in later antiquity) an immortal being; demigod.
5.
hero sandwich.
6.
the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich.
Origin
1605-15; back formation from Middle English heroes (plural) < Latin hērōs (singular), hērōes (plural) < Greek hḗrōs, hḗrōes
Related forms
herolike, adjective
subhero, noun, plural subheroes.
unhero, noun, plural unheroes.
unherolike, adjective
Synonyms
3. lead, star.
Antonyms
3. villain, heavy.

Hero

[heer-oh] /ˈhɪər oʊ/
noun
1.
Classical Mythology. a priestess of Aphrodite who drowned herself after her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her.
2.
Also, Heron. (Hero of Alexandria) flourished 1st century a.d, Greek scientist.
British Dictionary definitions for hero

hero

/ˈhɪərəʊ/
noun (pl) -roes
1.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, fortitude, etc
2.
a man who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in any field
3.
(classical myth) a being of extraordinary strength and courage, often the offspring of a mortal and a god, who is celebrated for his exploits
4.
the principal male character in a novel, play, etc
Word Origin
C14: from Latin hērōs, from Greek

Hero1

/ˈhɪərəʊ/
noun
1.
(Greek myth) a priestess of Aphrodite, who killed herself when her lover Leander drowned while swimming the Hellespont to visit her

Hero2

/ˈhɪərəʊ/
noun
1.
1st century ad, Greek mathematician and inventor
Word Origin and History for hero
n.

late 14c., "man of superhuman strength or physical courage," from Latin heros "hero," from Greek heros "demi-god" (a variant singular of which was heroe), originally "defender, protector," from PIE root *ser- "to watch over, protect" (cf. Latin servare "to save, deliver, preserve, protect;" see observe). Meaning "man who exhibits great bravery" in any course of action is from 1660s. Sense of "chief male character in a play, story, etc." first recorded 1690s. First record of hero-worship is from 1774.

1955, the New York term for a sandwich elsewhere called submarine, grinder, poor boy (New Orleans), or hoagie (Philadelphia); origin unknown, perhaps so called for its great size, or a folk etymology alteration of Greek gyro as a type of sandwich.

hero in Science
Hero
  (hē'rō)   
Greek mathematician who wrote on mechanics and invented many water-driven and steam-driven machines. He also developed a formula for determining the area of a triangle.
Slang definitions & phrases for hero

hero sandwich

n phr,n

A sandwich made with a loaf of bread cut lengthwise and filled with a variety of cheeses, sausages, vegetables, etc; grinder, hoagie, poor boy, submarine, torpedo (1955+)