her|maph|ro|dite /hɜː r mæ frəda I t/ (hermaphrodites ) N‑COUNT A hermaphrodite is a person, animal, or flower that has both male and female reproductive organs.
her|met|ic /hɜː r me t I k/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] If a container has a hermetic seal, the seal is very tight so that no air can get in or out. [TECHNICAL ] ● her|meti|cal|ly /hɜː r me t I kli/ ADV [ADV -ed, ADV after v] □ The batteries are designed to be leak-proof and hermetically sealed.
2 ADJ You use hermetic to describe something which you disapprove of because it seems to be totally separate from other people and things in society. [WRITTEN , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Its film industry operates in its own curiously hermetic way. □ Their work is more cosily hermetic than ever.
her|mit /hɜː r m I t/ (hermits ) N‑COUNT A hermit is a person who lives alone, away from people and society.
her|nia /hɜː r niə/ (hernias ) N‑VAR A hernia is a medical condition which is often caused by strain or injury. It results in one of your internal organs sticking through a weak point in the surrounding tissue.
hero ◆◇◇ /h I ə roʊ/ (heroes )
1 N‑COUNT The hero of a book, play, film, or story is the main male character, who usually has good qualities. □ [+ of ] The hero of Doctor Zhivago dies in 1929.
2 N‑COUNT A hero is someone, especially a man, who has done something brave, new, or good, and who is therefore greatly admired by a lot of people. □ He called Mr Mandela a hero who had inspired millions.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing, with poss] If you describe someone as your hero , you mean that you admire them a great deal, usually because of a particular quality or skill that they have. □ He was the boyhood hero for every kid of my generation who knew anything about tennis.
he|ro|ic /h I roʊ I k/ (heroics )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a person or their actions as heroic , you admire them because they show extreme bravery. □ His heroic deeds were celebrated in every corner of India. ● he|roi|cal|ly /h I roʊ I kli/ ADV [ADV with v] □ He had acted heroically during the liner's evacuation.
2 ADJ If you describe an action or event as heroic , you admire it because it involves great effort or determination to succeed. [APPROVAL ] □ The company has made heroic efforts at cost reduction. ● he|roi|cal|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Single parents cope heroically in doing the job of two people.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Heroic means being or relating to the hero of a story. □ …the book's central, heroic figure.
4 N‑PLURAL Heroics are actions involving bravery, courage, or determination. □ …the man whose aerial heroics helped save the helicopter pilot.
5 N‑PLURAL If you describe someone's actions or plans as heroics , you think that they are foolish or dangerous because they are too difficult or brave for the situation in which they occur. [SPOKEN , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He said his advice was: 'No heroics, stay within the law'.
hero|in /he roʊ I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Heroin is a powerful drug which some people take for pleasure, but which they can become addicted to.
hero|ine /he roʊ I n/ (heroines )
1 N‑COUNT The heroine of a book, play, film, or story is the main female character, who usually has good qualities. □ The heroine is a senior TV executive.
2 N‑COUNT A heroine is a woman who has done something brave, new, or good, and who is therefore greatly admired by a lot of people. □ [+ of ] …a heroine of both the French resistance and British secret service.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing, with poss] If you describe a woman as your heroine , you mean that you admire her greatly, usually because of a particular quality or skill that she has. □ My heroine was Elizabeth Taylor.
hero|ism /he roʊ I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Heroism is great courage and bravery. □ …individual acts of heroism.
her|on /he rən/ (herons ) N‑COUNT A heron is a large bird which has long legs and a long beak, and which eats fish.
he ro-worship (hero-worships , hero-worshipping , hero-worshipped ) The noun is also spelled hero worship . 1 N‑UNCOUNT Hero-worship is a very great admiration of someone and a belief that they are special or perfect. □ The lead singer inspires old-fashioned hero-worship.
2 VERB If you hero-worship someone, you admire them a great deal and think they are special or perfect. □ [V n] He was amused by the way younger actors started to hero-worship and copy him.
her|pes /hɜː r piːz/ N‑UNCOUNT Herpes is a disease which causes painful red spots to appear on the skin.
her|ring /he r I ŋ/ (herring or herrings )
1 N‑VAR A herring is a long silver-coloured fish. Herring live in large groups in the sea. ● N‑UNCOUNT Herring is a piece of this fish eaten as food.
2 → see also red herring
herring|bone /he r I ŋboʊn/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Herringbone is a pattern used in fabrics or brickwork which looks like parallel rows of zigzag lines.
hers /hɜː r z/ Hers is a third person possessive pronoun. 1 PRON You use hers to indicate that something belongs or relates to a woman, girl, or female animal. □ His hand as it shook hers was warm and firm. □ He'd never seen eyes as green as hers. □ Professor Camm was a great friend of hers.
2 PRON In written English, hers is sometimes used to refer to a person without saying whether that person is a man or a woman. Some people dislike this use and prefer to use 'his or hers' or 'theirs'. □ The author can report other people's results which more or less agree with hers.