Etymograph

English

helix

Helix comes from Latin helix ‘a kind of ivy’, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ ‘something twisted or spiral’, and perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to turn’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-1‘to turn’uncertain
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἧλιξ1hêlix‘of the same age’uncertain
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἰλέω1eiléō‘to turn, wind’uncertain
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἕλιξ2hélix‘something twisted or spiral’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhelix2‘a kind of ivy’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1953helix2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Ancient Greek ἕλιξ, which cites Beekes
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English helix
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1953, Division of Metrology Technical Paper - : “A large positive inclination gives a chip which will…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welH-Wiktionary, Ancient Greek ἕλιξ, which cites Beekes‘to turn’uncertain
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἧλιξWiktionary, Ancient Greek ἕλιξ, which cites Beekeshêlix‘of the same age’uncertain
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEεἰλέωWiktionary, Ancient Greek ἕλιξ, which cites Beekeseiléō‘to turn, wind’uncertain
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἕλιξWiktionary, English helixhélix‘something twisted or spiral’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhelixWiktionary, English helix‘a kind of ivy’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1953helixWiktionary, English helix. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1953, Division of Metrology Technical Paper - : “A large positive inclination gives a chip which will…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *welH- ‘to turn’

well, walk, wall, volume, revolution, evolution, involve, valve, vault, evolve, revolt, vulgar, waltz, convoluted, divulge, voluminous, vagrant, vulva, wale, convolution, vulgate, gauche, involution, voluble, valvular, valise, 75 more

through Ancient Greek εἰλέω ‘to turn, wind’

iliac, ilium, 4 more

Today it means

noun 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.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “helix”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Ancient Greek ἕλιξ. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *welH- / helix

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