Helen

American  

[hel-uhn] / ˈhɛl ən /

noun

1. Also called Helen of Troy.  Classical Mythology. the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda and wife of Menelaus whose abduction by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War.

2. a female given name.

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Helen British  

/ ˈhɛlɪn /

noun

1. Greek myth the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose abduction by Paris from her husband Menelaus caused the Trojan War

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Etymology

Origin of Helen

< French Hélène < Latin Helena < Greek Helénē, of obscure origin, probably the name of a pre-Greek vegetation goddess; often linked by folk etymology with helénē, helánē torch, St. Elmo's fire, an unrelated word

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Helen

Nadira Goffe interviewed a classicist about the significance of casting Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and argues that the controversy over her appearance misses the point.

From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026

In Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s libretto, a phantom of Helen returns to Troy after the war while the real Helen is whisked away to safety.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Then came the exclusive safari holiday - he said he'd booked it and Helen paid him back.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

Likewise, Lupita Nyong’o’s Helen is regal and formidable, but it’s a mistake to double-cast her as Helen’s twin sister, Clytemnestra.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

Now I wept: Helen Burns was not here; nothing sustained me; left to myself I abandoned myself, and my tears watered the boards.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë