A person who excessively admires, reveres, or idolizes heroes, sometimes uncritically.
Combines 'hero' with 'worship' (from Old English weorthscipe, worth-ship, worthiness) plus '-er' (one who does), creating a compound describing excessive admiration.
Calling someone a 'hero-worshipper' is inherently critical—it suggests they've abandoned rational judgment and replaced it with blind devotion, which is exactly why the term appears so often in philosophy critiques of celebrity culture and autocratic movements.
Compounds with 'hero' carry inherited gender bias. The historical practice of elevating male figures to worship reinforced masculine supremacy in culture and canon.
Use openly; apply to admirers of any heroic figure regardless of gender.
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