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

People dispense advice to our heroine of the kind that one encounters in stories properly poised on the cusp of life. —James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

But leading up to The Devil Wears Prada 2 (now in theaters), production designer Jess Gonchor knew the set pieces seen in the iconic 2006 blockbuster needed an aesthetic facelift—from the Runway magazine offices to our heroine’s apartment to the climactic overseas hot spot. —Mara Reinstein, Architectural Digest, 1 May 2026

The 2022 Netflix adaptation of the same novel used the Crescent as Camden Place — meaning two very different generations of Austen viewers have watched their heroines run across the exact same stretch of sidewalk. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026

This woman, it is soon revealed, is a writer, and the cartoon girl ascending a tower by rope is the heroine of her children’s book series. —Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026

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