eroe Italian · revision 38326

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1363, Florentine translation of the Defensor pacis|origins=grc ἥρως}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /eˈrɔ.e/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''eroe''' ''m'' (plural eroi, feminine eroina)^(Wiktionary)

+ The older spelling is [[roa-oit|heroe]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLIO) The feminine is [[eroina]], and an old feminine ''eroessa'' is also recorded.^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|1524)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|hērōs|t=hero, demigod]], taken from its accusative form.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word is [[bor|grc|ἥρως|tr=hḗrōs|t=hero, deified hero]], whose origin is uncertain.^(DELI 1999)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(OLD 2012) Nocentini connects it with the name [[grc|Ἥρα|tr=Hḗra]], the goddess Juno.^(Nocentini 2010) The word spread with the culture of humanism, and is also [[fr|héros]], recorded from the 14th century, and [[es|héroe]].^(GDLI)^(DEI|1524)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ The adjective [[eroico]] is [[m|la|hērōicus]] and the feminine [[eroina]] “heroine” is [[m|la|hērōīnē]], both from Greek.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The name of the drug heroin is the same word with the chemical suffix ⟨-ina⟩, given, DELI says, for its strong action.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's earliest record is the Florentine translation of Marsilius of Padua's ''Defensor pacis'' (1363), where the word names someone of outstanding, especially warlike, virtue, said above all of demigods.^(TLIO) DELI's first dates are from Ariosto's ''Orlando furioso'' (1516), both for the demigod born of a god and a mortal and for a man famous for his valour.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “main character of a literary work” is dated 1620–1639 (Benedetto Fioretti).^(DELI 1999) ''Eroico'' had come earlier: ''stile heroïco'' is found in 1381–1382, and ''verso eroico'' for the hexameter of epic before 1405.^(DELI 1999) ''Eroismo'' appears in 1710 in Lorenzo Magalotti, on the model of French ''héroisme''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Writers of the 20th century complained that the word had been cheapened: Panzini noted in 1905 that anyone who rescued a swimmer or put out a fire could now be called a hero.^(DELI 1999) ''L'eroe dei due mondi'' “the hero of two worlds” is Garibaldi, who fought in Europe and South America.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) In jest the word is used for whoever is the centre of attention, as in ''l'eroe della serata''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1363 – The word appears in the Florentine ''Defensor pacis''.^(TLIO)

+ * 1381–1382 – ''Stile heroïco'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1400 – ''Eruina'' “heroic woman” is used by Franco Sacchetti.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1516 – Ariosto uses ''eroe'' in the ''Orlando furioso''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1620–1639 – The sense “protagonist” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1710 – ''Eroismo'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1902 – ''Eroina'' “heroin” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|hero]]: someone who shows extraordinary courage or self-sacrifice, especially for an ideal: ''È morto da eroe salvando due bambini dal fiume.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The main character of a literary, musical or cinematic work; [[m|en|protagonist]]: ''Il nostro eroe arriva finalmente a Parigi.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(mythology)'' A [[m|en|demigod]] or man of exceptional virtue to whom legendary deeds are attributed.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(humorous)'' Whoever is the centre of attention at an event: ''l'eroe del matrimonio''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[eroico]]

+ * [[eroismo]]

+ * [[eroina]]

+ * [[eroicomico]]

+ * [[eroicità]]

+ * [[eroicizzare]]

+ * [[antieroe]]

+ * [[supereroe]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|heros]]

+ * [[grc|ἥρως|tr=hḗrōs]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Fare l'eroe'' means to take risks needlessly, to show off one's courage.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''Eroe da poltrona'' or ''da caffè'' is someone brave only in words.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}