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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

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

Venus, now at 8:44 was calling us by helio.

From Tarrano the Conqueror by Ray Cummings

Thought images as well as words, Kriijorl had explained during their flight so long ago in the helio.

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

A signal station on the top maintained helio communication within a radius of 30 or 40 miles, and exchanged occasional messages at 70 miles or more.

From Two Years on Trek Being Some Account of the Royal Sussex Regiment in South Africa by Louis Eug?ne du Moulin

A few minutes under the helio emanations and he would be fit for light duty.

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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