Helix Definition

hēlĭks
helices, helixes
noun
helices, helixes
Any spiral, as one lying in a single plane or, esp., one moving around a right circular cone or cylinder at a constant angle, as a screw or bolt thread does.
Webster's New World
A spiral form or structure.
American Heritage Medicine
The folded rim of cartilage around the outer ear.
Webster's New World
An ornamental spiral, as a volute on a Corinthian or Ionic capital.
Webster's New World
Any of a genus (Helix) of spiral-shelled land gastropods, including the common, edible European snail (H. pomatia)
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
pronoun

A taxonomic genus within the superfamily Helicoidea — certain land snails.

Wiktionary
verb
To move or position (something) into the shape of a helix.
American Heritage
To have the shape of a helix.
American Heritage Medicine
To move along a helical course; spiral.
American Heritage Medicine

Other Word Forms of Helix

Noun

Singular:
helix
Plural:
helices, helixes

Origin of Helix

  • From Latin helix, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (heliks, “something twisted or spiral”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Latin from Greek wel-2 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Helix Sentence Examples

  • Each wing forms a mobile helix or screw.

  • The molecule consists of a short triple helix about 105 nm in length with a large globular domain at each end.

  • Hedera helix, is the only native British evergreen climbing shrub.

  • These two bonds act to stop the alpha helix forming.

  • Although the common ivy Hedera helix appears the most frequent, a variety of cultivars and other species are available for horticultural use.

More Sentences

Related Articles

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to helix using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

HHEHEL

Words Ending With

XIXLIX

Unscrambles

helix

Words Starting With H and Ending With X

Starts With H & Ends With XStarts With HE & Ends With XStarts With H & Ends With IX

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With H5 Letter Words Ending With X