heroine
n.-
1 brave woman (n.) B1 Intermediatea woman who does something very brave or important and is admired by others.
a woman admired for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.
ExampleThe nurse became a national heroine after saving dozens of people during the flood.
ExampleHistory books often overlook the local heroines who risked their lives to lead resistance movements during the occupation.
UsageWhile 'heroine' specifically refers to a woman, many modern speakers use the gender-neutral 'hero' for everyone.
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2 main character (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Theatrethe most important woman or girl in a book, play, or movie.
the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work.
ExampleIn the final chapter, the heroine finally discovers the secret of her past.
ExampleThe author subverts traditional tropes by creating a heroine who is deeply flawed and occasionally unsympathetic to the reader.
Teacher's tipIn contemporary literary criticism, 'protagonist' is often preferred over 'heroine' to avoid focusing on the character's gender.
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).