Standard Lemma guide

helical

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈhɛl.ɪ.kəl/
  • /ˈhiː.lɪ.kəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: HH EH1 L IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In the shape of a helix.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonym: spiral

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: helicine, spiral

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

in the shape of a coil

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: coiling, spiral, spiraling, volute, voluted, whorled, turbinate

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

By surface analysis, helic- + -al.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: спирален (spiralen) — in the shape of a helix
  • Finnish: kierteinen — in the shape of a helix
  • French: hélicoïdal — in the shape of a helix
  • German: spiralförmig — in the shape of a helix
  • German: spiral- — in the shape of a helix
  • German: spiralig — in the shape of a helix
  • German: schraubend — in the shape of a helix
  • German: schraubenförmig — in the shape of a helix
  • German: helikal — in the shape of a helix
  • Greek: ελικοειδής (elikoeidís) — in the shape of a helix
  • Greek: ελικοειδές (elikoeidés) — in the shape of a helix
  • Greek: σπειροειδής (speiroeidís) — in the shape of a helix
  • Italian: elicoidale — in the shape of a helix
  • Polish: spiralny — in the shape of a helix
  • Russian: винтообра́зный (vintoobráznyj) — in the shape of a helix
  • Russian: спиральный (spiralʹnyj) — in the shape of a helix
  • Spanish: helicoidal — in the shape of a helix
  • Tagalog: pilipitin — in the shape of a helix
  • Tagalog: pilipit — in the shape of a helix
Real reading context

helical in complete knowledge articles