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hero
hero in Greek religion, famous person, who after his death, was worshiped as quasi-divine. The heroes might be actual great men and women, real or imaginary ancestors, or "faded" gods and goddesses (i.e., ancient gods who for some reason were demoted to human status). Homer treats his heroes as nobles and fighting men, but many Homeric heroes, such as Hector and Achilles, later became objects of worship. Hero cults were distinctly different from the attendance to the dead, which was meant only to afford comfort in the afterlife. In hero worship, as in the worship of all infernal powers, rituals were performed at night, black animals were sacrificed, and blood and other liquid offerings were poured beside the hero's tomb. The worship centered in general on the supposed place of the hero's tomb; the cult of some heroes, notably Hercules, was, however, widespread.
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"hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-hero.html "hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-hero.html |
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hero
he·ro / ˈhi(ə)rō/ • n. (pl. -roes) a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities: a war hero. ∎ the chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize. ∎ (in mythology and folklore) a person of superhuman qualities and often semidivine origin, in particular one of those whose exploits and dealings with the gods were the subject of ancient Greek myths and legends. ∎ (also hero sandwich) another term for submarine sandwich. |
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"hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-hero010.html "hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-hero010.html |
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hero
hero man of superhuman qualities, demigod XIV (rare before XVI); illustrious warrior XVI; man admired for his great deeds and noble qualities XVII; chief man in a poem, play, etc. In earliest use chiefly pl heroes, with sg. heroe (both of 3 sylls.) and heros — L. hērōs, pl. hērōēs — Gr. hērōs, pl. hērōes. The common heroe (XVI–XVIII) was superseded by hero (XVII), with pl. heroes (2 sylls.).
So heroic XVI. — F. or L. — Gr. hēroïkós. heroi-comic(al) XVIII. heroine XVII. — F. or L. — Gr. hērōinē. heroism XVIII. — F. |
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T. F. HOAD. "hero." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "hero." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-hero.html T. F. HOAD. "hero." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-hero.html |
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Hero
Hero in Greek mythology, priestess of Aphrodite in Sestos. Her lover, Leander, swam the Hellespont nightly from Abydos to see her. During a storm the light by which she guided him blew out, and he drowned. Hero, in despair, then threw herself into the sea. Christopher Marlowe's poem Hero and Leander is based on the story. |
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Cite this article
"Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-HeroMyth.html "Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-HeroMyth.html |
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Hero
He·ro 1 / ˈhi(ə)rō/ Greek Mythol. a priestess of Aphrodite at Sestos on the European shore of the Hellespont, whose lover Leander, a youth of Abydos on the opposite shore, swam the strait nightly to visit her. One stormy night he was drowned, and Hero in grief threw herself into the sea. |
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Cite this article
"Hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-hero.html "Hero." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-hero.html |
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Hero
Hero in Greek mythology, priestess of Aphrodite at Sestos on the European shore of the Hellespont, whose lover Leander, a youth of Abydos on the opposite shore, swam the strait nightly to visit her. One stormy night he was drowned and Hero in grief threw herself into the sea.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Hero." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Hero." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Hero.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Hero." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Hero.html |
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Hero
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MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Hero." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Hero." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Hero.html MARGARET DRABBLE and JENNY STRINGER. "Hero." The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. 2003. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O54-Hero.html |
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Hero
Hero Greek mathematician: see Heron of Alexandria . |
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Cite this article
"Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Hero.html "Hero." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Hero.html |
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hero
hero
•arrow, barrow, farrow, harrow, Jarrow, marrow, narrow, sparrow, taro, tarot, Varro, yarrow
•gabbro • Avogadro • Afro • aggro
•macro • cilantro • Castro
•wheelbarrow
•Faro, Kilimanjaro, Pissarro, Pizarro, Tupamaro
•Pedro • allegro • hedgerow • velcro
•escrow
•metro, retro
•electro • Jethro
•bolero, caballero, dinero, Faeroe, pharaoh, ranchero, sombrero, torero
•scarecrow • Ebro
•Montenegro, Negro
•repro • in vitro • Pyrrho • synchro
•windrow • impro • intro • bistro
•Babygro • McEnroe
•biro, Cairo, giro, gyro, tyro
•fibro • micro • maestro
•borrow, Corot, morrow, sorrow, tomorrow
•cockcrow • cointreau
•Moro, Sapporo, Thoreau
•Mindoro • Yamoussoukro
•Woodrow
•burro, burrow, furrow
•upthrow
•De Niro, hero, Nero, Pierrot, Pinero, Rio de Janeiro, sub-zero, zero
•bureau, chiaroscuro, Douro, enduro, euro, Ishiguro, Oruro, Truro
•Politburo • guacharo • Diderot
•vigoro • Prospero • Cicero • in utero
•Devereux • Jivaro • overthrow
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Cite this article
"hero." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "hero." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-hero.html "hero." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-hero.html |
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