nonheroism
|non-he-ro-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˌnɑnˈhiːroʊɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌnɒnˈhɪərəʊɪzəm/
absence of heroism
Etymology
'nonheroism' originates from English, formed from the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') and the noun 'heroism', where 'heroism' ultimately traces to Greek 'hērōs' meaning 'hero'.
'hero' comes from Greek 'hērōs', passed into Latin as 'heros' and into Middle English as 'hero'; 'heroism' developed in English by adding the suffix '-ism' to 'hero', and the productive prefix 'non-' was later attached to form 'nonheroism'.
Originally 'hērōs' referred to a demigod or celebrated warrior; over time 'heroism' came to mean courageous behavior, and 'nonheroism' denotes the absence of that quality or conduct.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of not being heroic; the absence of heroism — often implying ordinary, unremarkable, or cowardly behavior.
The novel examined the nonheroism of its characters, showing how small compromises and fears shaped their lives.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/31 07:06