Dictionary

superhero en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈs(j)upɚhɪɹoʊ/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From super- + hero. First attested in 1917.

Meanings

1. Any fictional crime-fighting character, often with supernatural powers or equipment, in popular children's and fantasy literature; a fictional hero who does great things.
   • Hobbes: Super heroes wear snow pants? Stupendous Man: When there's snow out, they do! 1990 February 13, Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes (comic):
2. (broadly) A particularly renowned real-world hero, or one who has seemingly impossible abilities.
   • Did you know your community has many invisible superheroes? Each day they perform hundreds of amazing feats that make the community a better place in which to live. 1991, Boys' Life, volume 81, number 1, page 42:
   • The power is out but you're watching TV? You must be a superhero.
   • Pull me out of the aircrash / Pull me out of the lake / 'Cause I'm your superhero 1997, “Lucky”, in OK Computer, performed by Radiohead:
   • Thanks for driving out here and towing me out of the ditch. You're a superhero!

Forms

Antonyms

supervillain

Deriveds

antisuperhero · superheroism · real superhero · superhero chin · superqueero · superherodom · superhero insurance · superheroics · superhero landing · supershero · nonsuperhero

Relateds

🦸♂️ · superheroic · superhuman · superman · superpower · superheroine · superbeing

Translations (49)

ja スーパーヒーロー (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · eo superheroo (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · mr सुपरहिरो (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · fr super-héros (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · hu szuperhős (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ko 슈퍼히어로 (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · fr superhéros (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · it supereroe (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · el υπερήρωας (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · pt super-herói (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ms adiwira (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · gl superheroe (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · bg супергеро́й (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · kk суперқаһарман (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · kmr superleheng (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · mt supereroj (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · be супергеро́й (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · de Superheld (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ca superheroi (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · hi सुपर हीरो (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · lb Superheld (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · cy siwpyr-arwres (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · et superkangelane (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · tr süper kahraman (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · he גִבּוֹר עָל (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ru супергеро́й (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ka სუპერგმირი (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · fi supersankari (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · mk суперхе́рој (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · mn супер баатар (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · uk супергеро́й (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · es superhéroe (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · th ซูเปอร์ฮีโร่ (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · cs superhrdina (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · da superhelt (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · cy siwpyr-arwr (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · cmn 超級英雄 /超级英雄 (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · is ofurhetja (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · sw shujaa mkuu (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · th ยอดมนุษย์ (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ro supererou (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · sw shujaa wa ajabu (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · lv supervaronis (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · nl superheld (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · lt superherojus (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · sv superhjälte (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · vi siêu anh hùng (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · pl superbohater (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers) · ga sárlaoch (a fictional crime-fighting character with superpowers)