Hero

See also: hero and Héró

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἡρώ (Hērṓ).

Proper noun

Hero

1. (Greek mythology) Any of a number of legendary men and women, including the priestess loved by Leander.
2. (rare) A female given name from Ancient Greek of English-speakers.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
     ,Scene 1:

     You hear, Count Claudio: I can be secret as a dumb man; I would have you think so; but on my allegiance mark you this, on my allegiance: he is in love. With who? now that is your Grace's part. Mark how short his answer is: with Hero, Leonato's short daughter.

Anagrams

• rheo-, Roeh, heor, Rohe, hoer, rohe

Esperanto

statuo de Hero

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἥρᾱ (Hḗrā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhero]
• Rhymes: -ero
• Hyphenation: He‧ro

Proper noun

Hero (accusative Heron)

1. (Greek mythology) Hera, Greek queen of the gods, goddess of marriage and birth

Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἡρώ (Hērṓ).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈheː.roː/, [ˈheːroː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.ro/, [ˈɛːro]

Proper noun

Hērō f sg (genitive Hērūs); fourth declension

1. (Greek mythology) Hero (priestess of Aphrodite, loved by Leander)
   • 43 BCE – c. 17 CE, Ovid, The Heroines 18:

     Quam cuperem solitas, Hero, tibi ferre per undas
     accipe Leandri, dum venit ipse, manum.

     How I wish I could carry myself over the waves to you as usual, Hero;
     accept Leander’s hand when he comes.

2. (Greek mythology) Hero (one of the Danaïdes)
   • c. 64 BCE – 17 BCE, Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae 170:

     Hero Andromachum

3. (Greek mythology) Hero (daughter of Priam)
   • c. 64 BCE – 17 BCE, Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae 90

Inflection

Fourth-declension noun (all cases except the genitive singular in -ō), singular only.

	singular
nominative	Hērō
genitive	Hērūs
dative	Hērō
accusative	Hērō
ablative	Hērō
vocative	Hērō

Derived terms

• Hērōus (adjective)

Descendants

• → English: Hero

References

• “Hero”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press