Police Officer Catches Baby Thrown From Burning House

What does “hailed as a hero” mean in English?

When news reporters call someone a hero, they often use the verb “hail.” To hail someone as a hero means to praise them in public and say they are a hero. It is stronger than just “called a hero” — it suggests many people feel the same way. You will mostly hear it in news writing and TV news, not in everyday conversation. The word comes from an old greeting meaning health and good wishes.

In the clip, an Australian news reader reports on a US police officer who caught a baby thrown from a burning house. The narrator says: “The officer hailed a hero for his extraordinary bravery.” This is a short passive form — two words are dropped: “was” and “as.” The full written form is “The officer was hailed as a hero.” Both forms are natural in news English. More examples: - “She was hailed as a pioneer after her record-breaking flight.” - “The rescue team was hailed as heroes by the whole town.” - “He was hailed as a genius — though not everyone agreed.” Usage note: “Hail” in this sense turns up mostly in news writing and TV reports. You will rarely hear it in casual conversation. Related forms: to hail (verb), hailed (past passive), hailed as [noun].