Definition
Dramatic, brave, or noble acts that seem impressive or exaggerated, often used mockingly to describe showing off.
Etymology
From 'heroic' which comes from Greek 'heros' (a great warrior or demigod). The plural form with -ics suggests multiple instances of heroic behavior, often ironically.
Kelly Says
The word shifted meanings over time—where 'heroic' started meaning genuinely fearless, 'heroics' came to mean dramatic acts that might be more show than substance, like the difference between real courage and performing bravery.
Translations
ARالعربية
بطولة (buṭūlah)
bu-too-lah
BNবাংলা
যোদ্ধারত্ব (yoddharto)
yo-d-dha-r-to
CACatalà
heroisme
he-ro-isme
CSČeština
hrdinství
hr-din-stv-i
DADansk
heltedåd
hel-ted-aad
DEDeutsch
Heldentaten
hel-den-ta-ten
ELΕλληνικά
ἥρωες πράξεις (íroes prakseis)
ee-ro-es prak-sis
ESEspañol
heroísmo
e-ro-is-mo
FAفارسی
بُرگري (būrgari)
boo-r-ga-ri
FISuomi
sankarien teot
san-ke-ri-en te-ot
FRFrançais
héroïsme
e-ro-iz-m
GUGU
શ્રેય (shrey)
sh-rey
HEעברית
גבורה (gevurah)
ge-vu-rah
HIहिन्दी
वीरता (veerta)
vee-ra-ta
IDBahasa Indonesia
kepahlawanan
ke-pa-hlaw-a-nan
ITItaliano
eroismo
e-ro-iz-mo
KKKK
ерлік (erlik)
er-lik
KMKM
កម្មវិធី (kam-mva-thee)
kam-m-va-thee
KO한국어
영웅적인 행동 (yeongungjeok-in haengdong)
yeong-ung-jeo-tin hen-dong
MRMR
वीरता (veerta)
vee-ra-ta
MSBahasa Melayu
kepahlawanan
ke-pa-hlaw-a-nan
MYမြန်မာ
英雄 (he-ro)
he-ro
NLNederlands
heldendaden
held-en-da-den
NONorsk
heltedåder
hel-ted-a-der
PAPA
ਸ਼ਹੀਦ (shaheed)
sha-heed
PLPolski
heroizm
he-ro-izm
PTPortuguês
heroísmo
e-ro-iz-mo
RUРусский
героические поступки (geroyicheskiye postupki)
ger-oy-i-ches-ki-ye pos-tup-ki
SVSvenska
hjältar
hjal-tar
SWKiswahili
ujasiriam
oo-ja-si-ri-am
TAதமிழ்
வீரத்திறன் (veera thiran)
vee-ra-thi-ran
TEతెలుగు
నీతి (neethi)
nee-thee
THไทย
วีรกรรม (wi-i-kan)
wee-i-kan
TRTürkçe
kahramanlık
ka-ha-man-lik
UKУкраїнська
героїзм (heroizm)
he-ro-izm
URاردو
خِدْمَت (khidmat)
khid-mat
VITiếng Việt
tấm gương anh hùng (tam guong anh hung)
tam-gương-anh-hùng
ZH中文
英勇事迹 (yīngyǒng shìjì)
ying-yong shi-ji
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Historically valorized masculine martial/physical courage; women's moral courage, resistance, and sacrifice were categorized differently or erased entirely.
Inclusive Usage
Use broadly for all genders' acts of courage. Actively include women's resistance and sacrifice in historical heroics narratives.
Inclusive Alternatives
["courage","bravery","resistance","sacrifice"]
Empowerment Note
Women's acts of resistance—from abolitionists to civil rights leaders to wartime rescuers—deserve recognition as heroism, not secondary virtue.