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Helen

American  
[hel-uhn] / ˈhɛl ən /

noun

  1. Also called Helen of TroyClassical 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.


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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The authority's tree and woodland manager, Helen Arnold, said the policy would help take a "long-term view", supporting nature recovery and climate action.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

“Market data already shows countywide rents are only about 2% above pre-emergency levels and rental inventory has grown,” Barger representative Helen E. Chavez Garcia said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

It’s implied that Helen isn’t the most responsible mother, but there’s never a question of how deeply she loves her son.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

Two decades later, James Lindsay, Helen Pluckrose and Peter Boghossian conducted a more elaborate “grievance studies” hoax.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

“Helen’s daughter, Lucy, is here. You remember Helen, your student. The shark lady.”

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

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