Antihero

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈæn.tɪˌhɪə.ɹəʊ/

Definitions

1. A protagonist who lacks conventional heroic qualities such as courage, morality, or idealism, yet remains central to the narrative
2. A central character who contradicts traditional heroic virtues like bravery, integrity, and noble purpose while driving the story forward
3. A main figure in a narrative who embodies flaws, moral ambiguity, or selfish motives instead of admirable qualities typically associated with heroes

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: the Greek prefix "anti-", meaning "against" or "opposite to", joined to "hero". Its prefix traces back through Ancient Greek "antí" to an older root shared with the Indo-European languages, but the element that matters for English is the Greek "anti-", which English speakers have used for centuries to form words like "antichrist" and "antipathy". Its meaning is the interesting part. An antihero is not simply a villain. The figure keeps the central role a hero would normally hold, driving the story and drawing the reader's attention, while lacking the courage, moral clarity or idealism that a traditional hero possesses. The compound describes a hero who is, in a sense, defined by being the opposite of what the word "hero" promises.

Synonyms: villain, anti-villain

Antonyms: hero, protagonist