ENGLISH
REFERENCE

heroic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //hɪˈɹoʊɪk// UK //hɪɹˈəʊɪk// hero·ic

adj. showing great courage or determination, especially in a dangerous situation. You use this to describe someone who acts like a hero to help others.

adj. demonstrating extreme courage, fortitude, or nobility, especially in the face of significant danger or adversity. Often used to describe actions that go far beyond the call of duty.


SIMPLE

The firefighters made a heroic effort to save the building.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor's heroic work during the pandemic earned her a national award for service.

COMPLEX

Historians often debate whether such heroic narratives are accurate reflections of the past or merely romanticised versions of events designed to inspire national pride.

Synonyms
Origin

Partly from Middle French heroïque and partly from Latin hērōicus. By surface analysis, hero + -ic.

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies; can also follow linking verbs like 'be' or 'seem'.

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