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Heroic. [R.] Spectator. -- He*ro"ic*al*ly, adv. -- He*ro"ic*al*ness, n.

Heroism. [R.] W. Montagu.

Combining the heroic and the ludicrous; denoting high burlesque; as, a heroicomic poem.

A woman of an heroic spirit. The heroine assumed the woman's place. Dryden.

The qualities characteristic of a hero, as courage, bravery, fortitude, unselfishness, etc.; the display of such qualities. Heroism is the self-devotion of genius manifesting itself in action. Hare.

One who treats of heroes. [R.] T. Warton.

Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidæ. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons.…

A hawk used in hunting the heron. "Heroner and falcon." Chaucer.

A place where herons breed.

A heronshaw. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A heron. [Written variously hernshaw, harnsey, etc.]

The character or personality of a hero. "Three years of heroship." Cowper.

like; -- so called from its tendency to creep or spread from one part of the skin to another.

Pertaining to, or resembling, the herpes; partaking of the nature of herpes; as, herpetic eruptions.

See Dartrous diathesis, under Dartrous.

Pertaining to herpetology.

One versed in herpetology, or the natural history of reptiles.

The natural history of reptiles; that branch of zoölogy which relates to reptiles, including their structure, classification, and habits.

One who dissects, or studies the anatomy of, reptiles.

The anatomy or dissection of reptiles.