heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən  ˈhir- 

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

The previous Resident Evil movies, based on the Capcom video games, were a mix of horror, sci-fi and action genres and followed the adventures of a heroine who fights zombies and the Umbrella Corporation, the bio warfare company that let loose the monsters. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025

Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp are among the stars who have played versions of the heroine (real name: Ororo Munroe) in the past. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025

Zegler’s Snow White joins a long line of classic heroines reimagined for today’s audience—something Greta Gerwig, who contributed to the screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson, knows well. —Patricia Alfonso Tortolani, Allure, 18 Mar. 2025

In this respect, Bennet reflects a quality that all of Austen’s heroines possess. —Margie Burns, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heroine

• heroin

Kids Definition

heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən 

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