heroines
heroines — noun
- heroinessingular
- heroinesesplural
1. a woman whose courage, outstanding achievements, or admirable personal qualities
a woman whose courage, outstanding achievements, or admirable personal qualities earn her widespread respect and recognition — for example, a soldier who saves lives in battle, a scientist whose work changes the world, or a teacher who inspires generations of students.
When the flood hit the village, Talia was hailed as a heroine for rescuing three children from the rising water.
passive: hailed as a heroine for [reason]
Quan's great-aunt was celebrated as a wartime heroine for smuggling food to families trapped behind enemy lines.
passive: celebrated as a wartime heroine
Hana's grandmother became a local heroine after she founded the town's only shelter for homeless families.
The firefighter was awarded a medal and called a true heroine by the mayor for saving the trapped workers.
Gita looks up to her science teacher as a personal heroine who encouraged her to study medicine.
For Sahil, the astronaut Mae Jemison is a modern heroine who showed that anyone can pursue a dream in space.
Ziad wrote a school report about his heroine, a nurse who built a clinic in a remote mountain village.
The documentary follows five everyday heroines — mothers, nurses, and teachers who transform their communities.
- champion
suggests fighting for a cause over time rather than a single brave act or achievement
- role model
focuses on being a positive example to follow, not necessarily involving bravery
- idol
stronger admiration but often for public figures; can feel less personal than 'heroine'
- inspiration
focuses on the motivating effect someone has, rather than the person herself
文法句型
a + heroine
hailed/called/celebrated as + a heroine
[possessive] + heroine
用法筆記
This sense covers both (a) admiration for a specific courageous act or outstanding achievement, and (b) longer-term personal admiration for someone's qualities or life's work. The possessive pattern ('my / our / her heroine') typically signals meaning (b) — the person you look up to personally, not necessarily someone who performed a single brave deed.
常見錯誤
2. the central woman or girl that a play, novel, movie, or TV series revolves aroun
the central woman or girl that a play, novel, movie, or TV series revolves around — the one viewers or readers are meant to cheer for throughout the story.
Yasmin loved the novel because its heroine was a detective solving mysteries in 1920s Cairo.
its heroine was [role/occupation]
Piotr said his favourite fictional heroine is Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
possessive + favourite fictional heroine + is [character]
At the film's end, the heroine rides alone through the desert to find her kidnapped child.
In the adventure story, the young heroine must cross a dangerous desert to save her village.
- protagonist
gender-neutral term for the main character in any story
- lead
shorter, used mainly in film and theatre contexts
- star
emphasises fame and central role rather than moral goodness
- villain
the evil or opposing character in a story
- antagonist
the character who actively opposes the heroine, not necessarily evil
文法句型
the + heroine + of + [work]
possessive + favourite/heroine
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'hero', which can refer to a main character of either gender; 'heroine' is specifically female. In modern writing, 'protagonist' is sometimes preferred as a gender-neutral alternative.
常見錯誤
3. a long bread roll that is cut open and filled with cold meats, cheese, and salad
a long bread roll that is cut open and filled with cold meats, cheese, and salad ingredients, similar to a submarine sandwich or hoagie; used mainly in the northeastern United States.
Iris ordered a turkey-and-cheese heroine from the deli on Elm Street for lunch.
a [filling] heroine from the deli — colloquial US food term
Joaquín packed three heroines filled with roast beef, lettuce, and tomato for the hike.
Kian stopped at the sandwich shop every Friday for their Italian heroine with extra peppers.
A classic New England heroine comes on a crusty roll with cold cuts, onions, and a drizzle of oil.
文法句型
a + [filling] + heroine
[number] + heroines + filled with + [ingredients]
用法筆記
This meaning is informal and regionally limited to the northeastern United States, especially New York and New England. The same sandwich is called a 'sub', 'hoagie', 'grinder', or 'hero' in other parts of the country. Always a countable noun.