Helix

Definitions: Helix

Helix

Noun

1. A curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and cuts the element at a constant angle.

2. A structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops; "a coil of rope".

3. Type genus of the family Helicidae.

Date "helix" was first used: 1563. (references)

Etymology: Helix \He"lix\, plural noun. Latin Helices, English Helixes. [Latin expression helix, Greek expression from to turn round; compare to Latin volvere, and English volute, voluble.]. (Websters 1913)

Domain	Definitions
Computing	Helix A hardware description language from Silvar-Lisco. Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing.
Post & Telecom	Helix used in continuous recorders in conjunction with the writing bar. Source: European Union. (references)
	A)in electrical recording, a conductor in the form of a helix suitably supported and capable of rotation to form one element of an electrode system used in the scanning of a continuous record; b)in mechanical recording, a helical projection which, in conjunction with a signal-controlled chopper bar, builds up the desired image. Source: European Union. (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

A helix is a shape like a spring or a spiral staircase.

In mathematics, a helix is a 3-dimensional curve. The following three equations in rectangular coordinates define a helix:

x = cos t

y = sin t

z = t

Here t is a real parameter. If we think of t as an increasing number, then as t increases, the point (x,y,z) traces a helix about the z-axis.

In cylindrical coordinates, the same helix is described by:

r = 1

θ = h

Helices have chirality. By convention, the helix defined above is said to be right-handed because if the right-hand thumb is taken to be the positive z-axis, then as z increases, the fingers of the right hand point in the same direction in which the helix is traced.

Except for rotations, translationss, and changes of scale, all right-handed helices are equivalent to the helix defined above.

The pitch of a helix is the length of the helix axis for one complete helix turn. The pitch of the helix defined above is 2π.

The general cylindrical form for a right-handed helix along the h-axis passing through (R, 0, 0) is:

r = R

θ = t

h = k t

where R and k are constants.

Synonyms: Helix

Synonyms: coil (n), genus Helix (n), spiral (n), volute (n), whorl (n). (additional references)

Context	Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).
Convolution	Coil, roll, curl; buckle, spiral, helix, corkscrew, worm, volute, rundle; tendril; scollop, scallop, escalop; kink; ammonite, snakestone.
Curvature	Carve, arc, arch, arcade, vault, bow, crescent, half-moon, lunule, horseshoe, loop, crane neck; parabola, hyperbola; helix, spiral; catenary, festoon; conchoid, cardioid; caustic; tracery; arched ceiling, arched roof; bay window, bow window.
Rotation	Helix, helical motion.
Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

Domain	Usage
Movie/TV Titles	Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix (2001)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Domain	Title
References	Helix Technology Corpn: International Competitive Benchmarks and Financial Gap Analysis (reference) (more reference examples)

Books	Star Trek the Next Generation: Double Helix (reference) (more book examples)

Periodicals	Helix (reference) Helix : Amgens Magazine Of Biotechnology (reference) (more periodical examples)

Theater & Movies	DNA: The Amazing Double Helix (reference) Race for the Double Helix (reference) (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music	Tanenbaum: Columbus; Kowalski: Double Helix; Yttrehus: Symphony No. 1 (reference) (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

High Tech	Broken Helix (reference) Soldier of Fortune 2: Double Helix (reference) Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix (reference) Soldier Of Fortune 2: Double Helix (Mac) (reference) (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Thumbnail	Description & Credit	Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-I) enters the T-lymphocyte where the virus loses its outer envelop, releasing its RNA and its reverse transcriptase. The reverse transcriptase builds a complimentary DNA strand from the viral RNA template. The DNA helix is inserted into the host genome. When this is transcribed by the infected cell, the new viral RNA and proteins are produced to form new viruses that then bud from the cell membrane, thus completing the life cycle of the virus. See artwork: GR-32.Credit: Trudy Nicholson (artist).		Shows photo of Crick and Watson and their lifesize "Double Helix" model of DNA.Credit: Anthony Barrington Brown (photographer).
	"Double Helix" by David Parker.		Collision of two gasses ("cometary knots") in the Helix Nebula in the constellation Aquarius.Credit: NASA.
	Closer view of the "cometary knots" in the Helix Nebula.Credit: NASA.		Figure 38. Percussion current meter invented by Julien Thoulet. Top: Number 99 0610. Bottom: Number 99 0611. When the helix turned it caused a striker to fall on a steel plate. The sound of this was recorded by a hydrophone and the number of recorded sounds per unit time was directly related to current strength . This was tested off Monaco by Dr. Jules Richard in 1921.Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.
	[Double-stranded Helix DNA model].Credit: National Library of Medicine.		[Double-stranded Helix DNA model].Credit: National Library of Medicine.
	[Double-stranded Helix DNA model].Credit: National Library of Medicine.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Subject	Topic	Quote
Health		This database is DNA, which exists as two long, intertwined, thread-like strands � the double helix. (references)
Business		Several well known brands are present in Poland, mostly from Italian, German and French manufacturers (e.g. bata, Salamander, Sergio Rossi, Armando Pollini, Charles Jourdan, Romano Mazzante, Fratelli Rossetti, Colette, Galizio, Toressi, Gianrico Meri, Paul Tissi, Marino Fabiani, Guliano Venzani, Scholl, Hogl, Gabor, Lloyd, Rieker, Helix, Remonte, Dorndorf and others). (references)
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

"Helix" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 99.45% of the time. "Helix" is used about 182 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)

Parts of Speech	Percent	Usage per 100 Million Words	Rank in English
Noun (singular)	99.45%	181	22,953
Noun (proper)	0.55%	1	339,140
Total	100.00%	182	N/A

Country	Name
USA	Helix Technology Corpn
	(more examples...)

1. Helix, OR (city, FIPS 33250)
Location: 45.85025 N, 118.65739 W
Population (1990): 150 (55 housing units)
Area: 0.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip Code(s): 97835
Country: USA

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Expressions: Helix

Expressions using "helix": alpha helix ♦ double helix ♦ genus Helix ♦ H helix ♦ Hedera helix ♦ Helix (Snails) ♦ helix angle ♦ helix aspersa ♦ helix hortensis ♦ helix pomatia ♦ M Helix ♦ Salix Helix. Additional references.
Hyphenated Usage
	Beginning with "helix": helix-coil, helix-loop-helix, Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs, helix-loop-helix-leucine, Helix-Turn-Helix, Helix-Turn-Helix Motifs.
	Ending with "helix": alpha-helix, coil-helix, double-helix.
	Containing "helix": Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs, Helix-Turn-Helix Motifs.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Helix

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Expression	Frequency per Day
helix	558
double helix	189
honda helix	125
express helix	108
soldier of fortune ii double helix	107
soldier fortune 2 double helix	99
helix stairs	64
camera helix	55
helix power tower	53
helix hotel	46
helix timex	45
dna double helix	44
helix cigar	42
hedera helix	40
helix high school	38
helix producer	37
soldier fortune double helix	35
dna helix	31
helix plus producer	27
helix aspersa	24
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translations: Helix

Language		Translations for "helix"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Albanian		helikoid, spirale (coil, convolution, spiral, spire, volute, whorl), ornament spiral, dredhë (circumvolution, coil, contortion, convolution, Crimp, hook, kink, meanders, sinuosity, spiral, tendril, volute, whorl, winding). (various references)

Arabic		‏لولب (screw, spiral, tap, thread), ‏حلزون (snail, spiral, whelk), ‏صدف (conch, mother of pearl, seashell, shell), ‏المحارة حافة الأذن الخارجسة. (various references)

Bulgarian		спираловиден орнамент (scroll), спирала (coil, convolute, curl, spiral, spire, volution), хеликоид, охлюв (cochlea, snail). (various references)

Chinese		螺旋 (Helices, Helixes, spiral). (various references)

Czech		spirála (coil, curl, spiral, spire, wreath). (various references)

Danish		skrue (feed screw, propeller, screw, ship's propeller, worm). (various references)

Dutch		schroefdraad (propeller, screw thread, thread), schroef (airscrew, propeller, screw), propeller (propeller). (various references)

Esperanto		helico (propeller). (various references)

Faeroese		skrúva (propeller, screw). (various references)

Finnish		ruuviviiva, potkuri (air-screw, propeller, screw), piirtokierukka (scroll), kierreviiva. (various references)

French		hélix, hélice. (various references)

German		spirale (coil, helical arrangement, loop, screw dislocation, scroll, spiral, spiral groove, spiral scroll, spiral slot, twist, volute, volute casing), Schraubenlinie. (various references)

Greek		έλιξ (coil, curl, screw, spiral, volute). (various references)

Hebrew		חלזו� ית (volute). (various references)

Hungarian		csigavonal (scroll, snail, spiral, volute). (various references)

Italian		elica (airscrew, propeller, screw, scroll, ship's propeller). (various references)

Japanese Kanji		螺旋 (screw, spiral), 螺子 (screw, spiral), 耳輪 (earring), 耳�'� (earring), ヘブライ語 (health, health center, health check, health club, health food, health meter, healthy, heart, heaven, Hebrew, helicopter, Helios, helioscope, heliotrope, heliport, helium, hell, Hellenism, hellfire, helm, helmet, Helmholtz, help, helper, Helsinki, hem, hemline, hemoglobin, hemstitch, hen party, Henckels, henna, Hepburn, Herakles, herald, Hercules, Hermes, hernia, heroin, herpangina, herringbone, Herzogovina, Hz, Mr, Switzerland, type of massage parlor), 捻子 (screw, spiral). (various references)

Japanese Katakana		ヘリックス , ねじ (screw, spiral), らせ�" (screw, spiral), みみわ (earring). (various references)

Manx		shlig chassee. (various references)

Pig Latin		elixhay

Portuguese		hélice (airscrew, propeller, propeller shaft, screw, screw propeller, vane). (various references)

Romanian		spiralã (convolution, curl, snail, spiral, spire, volute, winding). (various references)

Russian		спираль (curl, snail, spiral, spire, volute). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian		spirala (spiral, spire, volution, whorl), opruga (spring), kalem (bobbin, coil, graft, reel, roll, spool, truncheon). (various references)

Spanish		hélice (airscrew, blade, control edge, fan blade, helical groove, helices, loading spiral, loading vane, prop, propeller, screw, scroll, spiral, vane). (various references)

Swedish		spiral (coil, loop, scroll, spiral, whorl, winding, wreath). (various references)

Thai		สิ่งที่เป็นเกลียว. (various references)

Turkish		helis, helezon (rifling, spiral, spire), sarmal eğri, salyangoz (escargot, snail, Winkle), sümüklüböcek (crawler, slug, snail). (various references)

Ukranian		спіраль (gyre, spiral, volute), гвинтова поверхня. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Ancestral Language Translations: Helix

Language	Period	Translations
Latin	500 BCE-Modern	helix. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Derivations & Misspellings: Helix

Derivations
	Words beginning with "helix": helixes. (additional references)
	Words ending with "helix": anthelix, superhelix. (additional references)
	Words containing "helix": anthelixes, superhelixes. (additional references)
Misspellings
	"Helix" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: belix, Ellix, halix, hallux, heeli, Heelis, heilig, heilwig, Helaf, heldi, helex, heli, Helia, helic, helig, helin, helixe, heliz, hellex, helli, hellip, Helmi, helox, helux, Helyg, henix, Heslip, hevi, heyi, Hilux, hli, Hunix. (additional references)
Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Rhyming with "Helix"

# of Phoneme Matches	Pronunciation	Word(s) rhyming with "helix" (pronounced hē"liks)
4	-l i k s	acrylics, alcoholics, Calix, calyx, catholics, hydraulics, italics, publics, relics, republics, workaholics.
3	-i k s	academics, acoustics, acrobatics, aerobatics, aerobics, aerodynamics, aeronautics, aesthetics, affix, analgesics, analytics, anesthetics, anorexics, antibiotics, antics, apparatchiks, appendix, asthmatics, astronautics, astrophysics, athletics, atmospherics, attics, automatics, avionics, ballistics, basics, batiks, beatniks, bioethics, biologics, biophysics, bishoprics, calisthenics, ceramics, cervix, characteristics, charismatics, civics, classics, clerics, clinics, comics, conics, cosmetics, Criminalistics, critics, cynics, demographics, diabetics, diagnostics, diuretics, domestics, dynamics, eccentrics, econometrics, economics, electrics, electrodynamics, electronics, epics, epidemics, ergonomics, ethics, ethnics, eugenics, exotics, fabrics, fanatics, forensics, generics, genetics, geometrics, geopolitics, geriatrics, gimmicks, graphics, gymnastics, harmonics, hemodynamics, heroics, hieroglyphics, histrionics, hypnotics, hysterics, informatics, ionics, kibbutzniks, kinetics, limericks, linguistics, logistics, lyrics, macroeconomics, Magnetics, mathematics, matrix, mavericks, mechanics, medics, metaphysics, metrics, microeconomics, microelectronics, micrographics, mimics, mnemonics, mosaics, mystics, narcotics, Nucleonics, numismatics, obstetrics, onomastics, onyx, optics, orthodontics, oryx, panics, paramedics, Pediatrics, Phenix, Phoenix, phonetics, phonics, photovoltaics, physics, plastics, polemics, prefix, prosthetics, psychics, pyrotechnics, refuseniks, reprographics, robotics, romantics, semantics, semiotics, skeptics, sonics, specifics, sputniks, statistics, stoics, suffix, synthetics, systematics, tactics, Technics, tectonics, theatrics, therapeutics, thermoplastics, tonics, topics, toxics, tropics.
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

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Anagrams: Helix

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "e-h-i-l-x"
	-1 letter: elhi, heil, ilex.
	-2 letters: hex, hie, lei, lex, lie.
	-3 letters: eh, el, ex, he, hi, li, xi.
	Words containing the letters "e-h-i-l-x"
	+2 letters: helixes.
	+3 letters: anthelix, exhaling, oxyphile, xenolith.
	+4 letters: hexaploid, oxyphiles, xenoliths, xenophile, xerophile, xerophily.
	+5 letters: anthelixes, cephalexin, exhalation, exhilarate, hexaploids, hexaploidy, phylaxises, sphinxlike, superhelix, xenolithic, xenophiles.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.