héroïsme

heroism

noun eh-roh-EES-muh Rare

Origin: From Greek heros, 'hero'.

Usage Note

Héroïsme denotes the quality or conduct of a hero — courage and self-sacrifice in the face of danger. The diaeresis on the 'ï' is essential (without it the word would be mispronounced). The related adjective is héroïque and the person is un héros (m) or une héroïne (f). Note that héroïne is also the word for the drug heroin, distinguished only by context.

Examples

"Son héroïsme lors de l'incendie a sauvé des vies."

Natural Translation

His heroism during the fire saved lives.

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