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• helio
  helio

  noun

  a heliogram.
• helio-
  helio-

  a combining form meaning “sun,” used in the formation of compound words.

helio

¹ American  

[hee-lee-oh] / ˈhi liˌoʊ /

noun

Informal.

• helios
  plural

1. a heliogram.

2. a heliograph.

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helio- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “sun,” used in the formation of compound words.

   heliolatry.

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helio- British  

combining form

1. indicating the sun

   heliocentric

   heliolithic

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Usage

What does helio- mean? Helio- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “sun.” It is frequently used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. Helio- comes from Greek hḗlios, meaning “sun.” The Latin cognate, sōl, is the source of several words related to the sun, such as solar and solstice. What are variants of helio-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, helio- becomes heli-, as in heliencephalitis. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for heli-.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• helios
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of helio¹

By shortening

Origin of helio-²

< Greek, combining form of hḗlios sun

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

helio helios

"But why should you want helio when you know it doesn't suit you?" stormed Daphne.

From For the School Colours by Angela Brazil

The message that the helio twinkled out was as follows: "Thirty large vessels, apparently transports, approaching from direction of Cherbourg and Brest about ten miles south-east by south."

From The World Peril of 1910 by George Chetwynd Griffith

You will turn over to me all the information you can about the I. F. P. helio code.

From The Martian Cabal by Roman Frederick Starzl

They were nearing Denver, and air traffic at their level had picked up, and the helio was proceeding more slowly so that Kriijorl's demonstration caused him to miss little of the tour.

From The Women-Stealers of Thrayx by Fox B. Holden

He had scarcely uttered the last word when a helio began to twinkle from the hill above Foreland.

From The World Peril of 1910 by George Chetwynd Griffith

“Heliothraupis,” they wrote, combines the Greek helios, for “sun,” with thraupis, “meaning ‘finch’ or ‘small bird,’ but in current usage usually referring to tanagers.”

From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2021

Behind and above, the main body of the fleet sloped in echeloned ranks, hiding the threatened city with an impenetrable terraced wall of buzzing helios and massive forts.

From When the Sleepers Woke by Arthur Leo Zagat

Both visible from direct helios at that moment—Red Mars, from this mountain top, glowing like the tip of an arrant-cylinder up there.

From Tarrano the Conqueror by Ray Cummings

Soon we were beyond reach of all messages save helios, which were not in operation.

From Tarrano the Conqueror by Ray Cummings

At almost her closest point to the Earth these days, Red Mars sent us constant helios from the midnight sky.

From Tarrano the Conqueror by Ray Cummings

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