WordWeb Online

1. A person distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
   "RAF pilots were the heroes of the Battle of Britain"
    
2. The principal character in a play, movie, novel or poem
    
3. Someone who fights for a cause
   - champion, fighter, paladin [archaic]
    
4. (classical mythology) a being of great strength and courage celebrated for bold exploits; often the offspring of a mortal and a god
    
5. [N. Amer] A large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States
   - bomber [US, informal], grinder [US, informal], hero sandwich [N. Amer], hoagie [N. Amer], hoagy [N. Amer], Cuban sandwich [N. Amer], Italian sandwich [N. Amer], poor boy [N. Amer], sub [N. Amer, informal], submarine [N. Amer], submarine sandwich [N. Amer], torpedo [US], wedge [US, informal], zep [N. Amer]

1. Greek mathematician and inventor who devised a way to determine the area of a triangle and who described various mechanical devices (first century)
   - Heron, Hero of Alexandria
    
2. (Greek mythology) priestess of Aphrodite who killed herself when her lover Leander drowned while trying to swim the Hellespont to see her

Derived forms: heroes, Heros

Type of: artificer, character, defender, discoverer, guardian, inventor, leader, mathematician, mythical being, part, persona, protector, role, sandwich, sarnie [Brit, informal], shielder, theatrical role

Encyclopedia: Hero, Stephen