Helen

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See also: helen, Helén, hælen, and Hælen

English

Etymology

From French Hélène, from Latin Helena, from Ancient Greek Ἑλένη (Helénē). Doublet of Elaine.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)
  • IPA(key): /ˈhɛlən/
  • Rhymes: -ɛlən

Proper noun

Helen (plural Helens)

  1. (Greek mythology) the daughter of Zeus and Leda, considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world; her abduction by Paris brought about the Trojan War.
  2. A female given name from Ancient Greek.
    • 1928 Agatha Christie, The Mystery of the Blue Train
      "Is her name Ellen or Helen, Miss Viner? I thought —"
      Miss Viner closed her eyes.
      "I can sound my h's, dear, as well as anyone, but Helen is not a suitable name for a servant. I don't know what the mothers in the lower classes are coming to nowadays."
    • 1993 Oscar Hijuelos, The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien, →ISBN, page 6:
      ...in 1910 she brought Helen into the world, the little female, or "mujercita", as her mother called all the babies, naming her after the glittery label on a facial ointment, The Helen of Troy Beauty Pomade, said to eradicate wrinkles, to soften and add a youthful glow to the user's skin - a fortuitous choice because, of all the sisters, she would be the most beautiful and, never growing old, would always possess the face of a winsome adolescent beauty.
    • 2003 Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 189
      Gemma followed her, thinking that Helen seemed rather an old-fashioned and elegant name for this rumpled young mother.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • → Danish: Helen
  • → Estonian: Helen
  • → Hawaiian: Helena
  • → Norwegian: Helen
  • → Swedish: Helen

Translations

Noun

Helen (plural Helens)

  1. Any of various papilionid butterflies of the genus Papilio.

Anagrams

Danish

Proper noun

Helen

  1. a female given name borrowed from English

Estonian

Proper noun

Helen

  1. a female given name, short form of Helena, also borrowed from English Helen

Norwegian

Proper noun

Helen

  1. a female given name borrowed from English

Swedish

Proper noun

Helen c (genitive Helens)

  1. a female given name borrowed from English

Tagalog

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Etymology

Borrowed from English Helen.

Proper noun

Helen

  1. a female given name from English
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