🇯🇵Japanese Source WordCode: JA

アンチヒーロー

Pronunciation / Transliteration: anchi hīrō

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Antihero/ˈæn.tiˌhɪə.roʊ/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #8500 frequency
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🇯🇵 Example Sentence in Japanese:

"近年の映画では魅力的なアンチヒーローが人気です。"

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes and instead possesses complex, flawed, or morally ambiguous traits.

    "The television series features an antihero who makes morally questionable decisions while trying to protect his family."
  2. 2

    A protagonist who embodies disillusionment, vulnerability, or cynicism rather than traditional nobility.

    "Modern noir fiction often relies on the disillusioned antihero to explore the darker aspects of society."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term is a blend of the prefix 'anti-' (derived from Greek anti, meaning 'against' or 'opposite') and 'hero' (from ancient Greek hērōs). First appearing in literary criticism in the mid-20th century, the word evolved to describe central characters in fiction who lack conventional heroic attributes such as idealism, morality, or courage.

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