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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

Etymology

Origin of helio¹

By shortening

Origin of helio-²

< Greek, combining form of hḗlios sun

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

helio helios

The helio mirrors were swaying again with another message from Grantline.

From Astounding Stories of Super-Science April 1930 by Harry Bates

"I want the helio, please," said Avelyn doggedly.

From For the School Colours by Angela Brazil

And Snap’s helio mirrors, attuned for an hour now to pick up the faintest signal, were motionless.

From Astounding Stories of Super-Science, March 1930 by Harry Bates

While coming along this afternoon we saw something like helio signals flashing in the air.

From Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants or, Handling Their First Real Commands by H. Irving (Harrie Irving) Hancock

When you put Captain Robers and his men off this ship they smuggled out with them a hand-operated helio set.

From The Space Rover by Edwin K. Sloat

“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

At the village where I waited for them I found some Cuirassiers, genial fellows; but living helios in the burning sun.

From Adventures of a Despatch Rider by William Henry Lowe Watson

Henceforward a line of signal stations with their flickering helios would be the only links.

From The Story of the Malakand Field Force An Episode of Frontier War by Winston Churchill

The Navy had, apparently, their own sources of information, for signallers would often gather items of interest by watching the flashing of the helios by day or the blinking of the signal lamps by night.

From The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai Peninsula by Herbert Brayley Collett

Flag-signallers were preparing for work at the place where the day before helios had been busy flashing news from gunboats and cavalry to the headquarters.

From Khartoum Campaign, 1898 or the Re-Conquest of the Soudan by Bennet Burleigh