a central female character in a novel, play, film, etc, who lacks the traditional heroic virtues
antiheroine in American English
(ˈæntaɪˌhɛroʊɪn)
noun
a female antihero
antiheroine in American English
(ˈæntiˌherouɪn, ˈæntai-)
noun
a female protagonist, as in a novel or play, whose attitudes and behavior are not typical of a conventional heroine
Word origin
[1905–10; anti- + heroine]This word is first recorded in the period 1905–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: jazz, push-up, revolving door, stabilizer, thiamineanti- is a prefix meaning “against,” “opposite of,” “antiparticle of,” used in the formationof compound words (anticline); used freely in combination with elements of any origin (antibody; antifreeze; antiknock; antilepton)
Examples of 'antiheroine' in a sentence
antiheroine
But his antiheroine is, to my mind, a greater achievement.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Her penetrating soprano lacked a modicum of sensuality for the final opera's antiheroine, but she suggested a hard-bitten gold-digger effectively.