Definitions
01brave woman
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a woman who does something very brave or important and is admired by others.
n. a woman admired for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
Español:heroína
“The nurse became a national heroine after saving dozens of people during the flood.”
“History books often overlook the local heroines who risked their lives to lead resistance movements during the occupation.”
Usage
While 'heroine' specifically refers to a woman, many modern speakers use the gender-neutral 'hero' for everyone.
02main character
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Theater
n. the most important woman or girl in a book, play, or movie.
n. the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work.
“In the final chapter, the heroine finally discovers the secret of her past.”
“The author subverts traditional tropes by creating a heroine who is deeply flawed and occasionally unsympathetic to the reader.”
Teaching tip
In contemporary literary criticism, 'protagonist' is often preferred over 'heroine' to avoid focusing on the character's gender.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Many of the heroines in her books would rather throw a frog at a wall than kiss one, and are “very much more likely to rescue than be rescued”.” “Sarandon, who played the heroine Janet Weiss in movie, praised Curry as "a funny, sexy, original".” Etymology
From Latin hērōīna, from late Ancient Greek ἡρωΐνη (hērōḯnē) (2nd century), a feminine equivalent of ἥρως (hḗrōs, “hero, demigod”), equivalent to hero + -ine (suffix forming feminine nouns). * English from 1587. The sense of "female lead character" is from 1715.
Partly from the noun and partly from hero + -ine (suffix forming adjectives).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/heroine
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0