/ ˈhɪərəʊ; NAmE ˈhɪroʊ; ˈhiː-/ noun ( pl. -oes )
1.
a person, especially a man, who is admired by many people for doing sth brave or good :
a war hero (= sb who was very brave during a war)
The Olympic team were given a hero's welcome on their return home.
one of the country's national heroes
2.
the main male character in a story, novel, film / movie etc. :
The hero of the novel is a ten-year old boy.
3.
a person, especially a man, that you admire because of a particular quality or skill that they have :
my childhood hero
4.
( NAmE ) = submarine (2)
—see also heroine
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (with mythological reference): via Latin from Greek hērōs .