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.

Bibliography: See E. R. Farnell, Greek Hero Cults and Ideas of Immortality (1921).

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 The common heroe (XVI–XVIII) was superseded by hero (XVII), with pl.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.

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.