▪ the chief female character in a book, play, or film, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize: "Jane Austen's heroines"Similarfemale protagonistprincipal female characterprincipal female rolelead actressleadleading ladyleading rolefemale leadstar rolestarring rolestar partfemale starprima donnadivaOppositevillain
▪ (in mythology and folklore) a woman of superhuman qualities and often semi-divine origin, in particular one whose deeds were the subject of ancient Greek myths.
Word Originlate 16th century: from French héroïne or Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs ‘hero’.
