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ἑλένη. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ἑλένη, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ἑλένη in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
ἑλένη you have here. The definition of the word
ἑλένη will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
ἑλένη, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Ancient Greek
Etymology
Traditionally connected to εἰλέω (eiléō, “to turn, wind”), which can account for the meaning "torch". However, Beekes suggests a Pre-Greek origin, in view of the similar word ἑλάνη (helánē, “reed bundle”) and the suffix -ένη.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /he.lé.nɛː/ → /eˈle.ni/ → /eˈle.ni/
Noun
ἑλένη • (helénē) f (genitive ἑλένης); first declension
- torch, firebrand
- Synonyms: γρᾰ́βῐον (grábion), γρῡνός (grūnós), δᾰΐς (daḯs), δᾰ́ος (dáos), λᾰμπᾰ́ς (lampás), λοφνῐ́ς (lophnís), πᾱνός (pānós), πῠρσός (pursós), φᾰνή (phanḗ), φρῠκτός (phruktós)
- corposant, St. Elmo's fire
- wicker-basket, used to carry the sacred utensils of Artemis
Inflection
Derived terms
Further reading
- “ἑλένη”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ἑλένη in Bailly, Anatole (1935) Le Grand Bailly: Dictionnaire grec-français, Paris: Hachette
- ἑλένη in the Diccionario Griego–Español en línea (2006–2024)
- Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἑλάνη”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 401