'superhero' originates from English, formed by combining the prefix 'super' (from Latin 'super' meaning 'above' or 'beyond') and the noun 'hero' (from Greek 'hērōs' meaning 'demi-god' or 'warrior').

'superhero' emerged in early 20th-century English, popularized by pulp magazines and comic books; the modern notion developed as early comic-book characters (such as Superman, introduced in 1938) solidified the concept.

Initially built from elements meaning 'above' + 'hero', it came to denote specifically a fictional hero with extraordinary powers and, later, also a metaphor for exceptionally helpful people.