heroine
UK/ˈherəʊɪn/US/'herәuin/
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Definitions
n.
A woman admired for her courage or noble deeds.
女英雄。
n.
The main female character in a story, film, or play.
（故事、电影中的）女主角。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedhero + -ine (a suffix marking female nouns, as in czarina) = a female hero, or the leading woman of a story. Same word as hero, just gendered feminine.
Root hero still carries 5 more wordsUsage Guide
Don't confuse heroine (the woman, with a final silent -e) with heroin (the drug, no -e). They sound identical but mean opposite things.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The novel's heroine refuses to give up her dream.
- 2.
She became a national heroine after the rescue.
Easily Confused
heroine vs heroin — One silent -e separates a brave woman (heroine) from a deadly drug (heroin). They are homophones, so context is everything: 'the heroine of the film' vs 'addicted to heroin.'