A Hero Sandwich Is Named for Its Size
A hero is a person admired for courage. In New York the word also names a long filled roll.
A hero is a person admired for courage or achievement. In New York a *hero* is also a long sandwich on a roll, and American English has an unusual number of regional names for the same thing: *sub* in most of the country, *hoagie* in Philadelphia, *grinder* in New England and *po' boy* in New Orleans. Few foods are so thoroughly divided by geography. Greek *heros* originally meant a demigod, a figure between men and gods.
- A brave person. *A war hero.*
- A main character. *The hero of the novel.*
- A long sandwich. *A hero sandwich.*
- Heroine — the female form. *A heroine.*
- Greek — *heros*, a demigod. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | hero | A hero. |
| Plural | heroes | Heroes. |
| Feminine | heroine | A heroine. |
| Adjective | heroic | Heroic. |
| Greek | heros | A demigod. |
- He was treated as a hero.Courage.
- She ordered a hero.Food.
- Heros meant a demigod.Etymology.
One sandwich, many names
- Sub — the general American term, from submarine
- Hero — New York
- Hoagie — Philadelphia
- Grinder — New England
- Po' boy — New Orleans
Greek *heros*, a demigod or man of superhuman strength, through Latin *heros*.
Why is a sandwich called a hero?
A New York name, most likely from its size, for a long filled roll. Other regions call the same thing a sub, hoagie, grinder or po' boy.
What did hero originally mean?
A demigod in Greek, a figure standing between ordinary men and the gods.