héros French · revision 16723

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1372–74, Nicole Oresme, Politiques (heroes)|origins=grc ἥρως}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /e.ʁo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''héros''' ''m'' (invariable, feminine héroïne)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|hērōs|t=demigod; man of great valour]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 416b) from [[grc|ἥρως|tr=hḗrōs]].^(TLFi)^(Wiktionary) The Greek word first meant “chief”, the title of the leaders at Troy such as Odysseus and Agamemnon, probably a term of respect; it later took the religious sense “demigod; man raised to the rank of a demigod after his death”.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) It displaced Middle French [[m|frm|heroe]], from the Latin accusative [[m|la|hērōem]].^(Wiktionary) The feminine [[héroïne]] is a separate borrowing, from [[m|la|hērōīnē]].^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ The initial ⟨h⟩ is aspirated, unlike in the feminine and in [[héroïque]]: the hiatus was introduced so that “les héros” would not sound like “les zéros”, which became possible once [[zéro]] entered the language in the 15th century.^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Nicole Oresme's translation of Aristotle's ''Politics'' (1372–74) introduces it in the mythological sense “demigod”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The glorification of feats of arms took the word out of religion: Ronsard (1555) uses ''herôs'' for a man of great worth, and, from there it came to mean anyone admired for courage or genius (''être le héros de quelqu'un'').^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Bloch and Wartburg date the figurative sense to the 17th century.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The idea of a man above the common run led to “principal character of a literary work” (Scarron, 1651), whence ''un héros de roman'' for someone who has lived through extraordinary adventures (1671), ''le héros de la fête'' (1734) and ''le héros du jour'' (1874, Mallarmé).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) In the 20th century it spread to film, comics and television, and ''antihéros'' (1940) names a protagonist who lacks the traditional hero's qualities.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1361 – First date given by the Grand Robert.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1372–74 – ''Heroes'' “demigods”, Oresme.^(TLFi)

+ * 1554 – ''Héroïne'' “principal female character”, Ronsard.^(TLFi)

+ * 1555 – ''Herôs'' “man of great worth”, Ronsard.^(TLFi)

+ * 1651 – “Principal character”, Scarron's ''Roman comique''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1658 – The derivative [[héroïsme]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1874 – ''Le héros du jour'', Mallarmé.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1940 – ''Antihéros''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(mythology)'' A [[m|en|demigod]]; a legendary figure credited with great courage and exploits.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+ # A man who distinguishes himself by feats or extraordinary [[m|en|courage]], especially in war: ''mourir en héros''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A person admired for his qualities or deeds, ''le héros du jour'', the man of the moment.^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # The principal character of a novel, play, film or story; the [[m|en|protagonist]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[héroïsme]]

+ * [[antihéros]]

+ * [[superhéros]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[héroïne]]

+ * [[héroïque]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}