How do you use the word "heroine" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "heroine": The novel ends with the heroine's death. The heroine of the novel committed suicide.

Heroine Meaning

/ˈhɪɹoʊɪn/

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

nounA female hero.

nounA female lead character.

Sentence Examples

The novel ends with the heroine's death.

The heroine of the novel committed suicide.

The heroine of this story is a little girl.

CEFR Practice Quiz

In the novel, the ____ bravely fought the villain and saved the day.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

She is the ____ of the story, a young girl who bravely saves her village from a terrible dragon.

Word Origin & History

From Latin hērōīna, from late Ancient Greek ἡρωΐνη (hērōḯnē) (2nd century), a feminine equivalent of ἥρως (hḗrōs, “hero, demigod”), equivalent to hero + -ine (suffix forming feminine nouns). * English from 1587. The sense of "female lead character" is from 1715.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Miss Phyllis Morgan, as the hapless heroine dressed in the shabbiest of clothes, appears in the midst of a gay and giddy throng; she apostrophises all and sundry there, including the villain, and has a magnificent scene which always brings down the house, and nightly adds to her histrionic laurels." — 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Affair at the Novelty Theatre”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:

"'I infer that you are the lady of the paragraph,' and the lifted hand indicated the open sheet of the Record lying nearby. […] 'Oh,' said Mr Carrados with an amused and deepening interest, 'so in addition to being the heroine of the adventure you wrote it up?'" — 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:

"Theoxena to free hir Siſters children and hir owne from the laſciuious embraces of King Phillip, put weapons into their weaker hands, and perſwaded them Vt imminens ludibrium morte effugerent; to reſcue themſelues by Death from imminent diſgrace, wherein ſhe had no ſooner preuailed, but with a heroine reſolution ſhe ſhewed them by hir owne example, that what ſhee had taught them, was eaſie to be done." — 1616, D[aniel] T[uvill], “Of their outward modestie”, in Asylum Veneris, or A Sanctuary for Ladies. Iustly Protecting Them, Their Virtues, and Sufficiencies from the Foule Aspersions and Forged Imputations of Traducing Spirits., London: […] Edward Griffin for Laurence L’isle, […], page 41:

"Her Brows ſoft Fur was of a paler Dye, / Conformable to that which prettily / Peep’d on her upper Lip, and cowardly / Made shew of Heroine Virility." — 1669, [William Wycherley], Hero and Leander, in Burlesque, London: [s.n.], page 13:

"WE Your Majesties most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects do humbly crave Leave to Condole the Death of our late Gracious Sovereign, and to Congratulate Your Majesties happy Accession to the Throne of your Royal Anceſtors; as alſo to expreſs our great Satisfaction and unſpeakable Joy for the ſame, and to thank God for preſerving and quietly ſeating on the Imperial Throne of theſe Realms a Princeſs with Heart and Affections truly Engliſh, with a Zeal for the Government in Church and State as by Law Establiſhed, truly worthy of that Royal Blood that flows to you from your Royal Grandfather King Charles the Martyr, of Immortal Memory, and with a Soul truly Great and Heroine, juſtly concerned for the Proſperity of theſe Realms, and the Peace of Europe." — 1702 April 28, the Borough of Great Torrington, “To the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty”, in The London Gazette, number 3810, London: […] Edw[ard] Jones […], published 14–18 May 1702, page [2], columns 1–2:

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