English
heroism
Heroism comes from French héros ‘hero’, and goes back to Ancient Greek ἥρως.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἥρως‘a hero of the Trojan War: any of the major combatants of the Greek or Trojan forces’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhērōs‘demigod, hero’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthéros‘hero’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presenthéroïsme
- Englishearliest quotation 1860heroism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἥρως‘a hero of the Trojan War: any of the major combatants of the Greek or Trojan forces’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhērōs‘demigod, hero’
- Frenchc. 1600–presenthéros‘hero’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presenthéroïsme
- Englishearliest quotation 1860heroism
Earliest quotation: 1860, George Eliot: “Certain strains of music affect me so strangely; I…”
Formed from hero + -ism
Every English word from Ancient Greek ἥρως
Today it means
noun The qualities characteristic of a hero, such as courage, bravery, fortitude, selflessness, etc.; the display of such qualities.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἥρως / heroism