helix

See also: Helix, hélix, and hèlix

English

Helix

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhiːlɪks/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːlɪks

Noun

helix (plural helixes or helices)

1. (mathematics) A curve on the surface of a cylinder or cone such that its angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis is constant; the three-dimensional curve seen in a screw or a spiral staircase.
2. (architecture) A small volute under the abacus of a Corinthian capital.
3. (anatomy) The incurved rim of the external ear.
4. An upside down midair 360° spin in playboating.

Synonyms

• (curve): spiral (not in technical use)

Derived terms

Derived terms

• alpha helix
• double helix
• helical

• helically
• hemihelix

Related terms

• helicopter

Translations

curve

• Armenian: պարույր (hy) (paruyr)
• Bulgarian: спира́ла (bg) f (spirála)
• Catalan: hèlix f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 螺旋 (zh) (luóxuán)

• Czech: šroubovice (cs) f
• Danish: skruelinje
• Dutch: helix (nl) f, schroeflijn (nl) f
• Esperanto: helikso, helico (eo)
• Finnish: ruuviviiva; ruuvikierre
• French: hélice (fr) f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: Spirale (de) f, Wendel (de) f
• Icelandic: skrúflína f, gormferill m
• Japanese: 螺旋 (らせん, rasen)
• Kazakh: бұранда сызық (būranda syzyq)
• Persian: پیچه (fa) (piče)
• Polish: helisa f
• Portuguese: hélice (pt) f
• Russian: спира́ль (ru) f (spirálʹ)
• Spanish: hélice (es) f
• Swedish: helix (sv)
• Tagalog: pilipit

in architecture

• Catalan: hèlix f
• Finnish: heliks
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἕλιξ f (hélix)

  Modern: έλικα (el) f (élika)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Tagalog: pilipit

of the ear

• Bulgarian: охлюв (bg) m (ohljuv)
• Catalan: hèlix f
• Esperanto: helikso
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: heliks, ylärusto
• Greek: έλικα (el) f (élika)
• Portuguese: hélice (pt) m, hélix m

Verb

1. To form or cause to form a helix.
   • 1953, Division of Metrology Technical Paper - Issues 1-7, page 25:

     A large positive inclination gives a chip which will helix out of the space between the face mill and the workpiece.

   • 1967, Aviation Week & Space Technology - Volume 87, page 295:

     When the shaft is unsupported, the large torque tends to helix the inner core, and if the casing is not stiff enough, it will helix the casing also.

   • 1997, Physical Review: Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics:

     The decrease in d enhances the probability that remaining SDLs will helix, leading to an outward traveling wave of helixing and a jump in 5d.

   • 2010, Phillip Beach, Muscles and Meridians E-Book: The Manipulation of Shape, →ISBN, page 95:

     Conceptually, this field will helix up from the genital tip, here modelled as the caudal singularity of the left and right domains of the H-CFs.

See also

• left-handed
• right-handed
• spiral

---

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin helix, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦeː.lɪks/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: he‧lix

Noun

helix f (plural helices or helixen)

1. helix

   Synonym: schroeflijn

---

Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈhe.liks/, [ˈhɛlʲɪks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈe.liks/, [ˈɛːliks]

Noun

helix f (genitive helicis); third declension

1. a kind of ivy
2. a kind of willow
3. a whorl, a small ornament on the capital of Corynthian columns

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	helix	helicēs
Genitive	helicis	helicum
Dative	helicī	helicibus
Accusative	helicem	helicēs
Ablative	helice	helicibus
Vocative	helix	helicēs

References

• “helix”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• helix in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.