English Meaning & Definitions
A chemical element with the atomic number 2, being a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic noble gas that is the second lightest element in the universe.
- “The party balloons were filled with helium to make them float in the air.”
- “Scientists use liquid helium as a refrigerant to maintain the extremely low temperatures required for superconducting magnets.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “helium”.
Coined in 1868 by English astronomer Norman Lockyer and chemist Edward Frankland, derived from the Greek word 'hēlios', meaning 'sun'. It was named thus because it was first detected as an unknown yellow spectral line signature in sunlight during a solar eclipse before it was ever found on Earth.
Think of a HEAVY element that goes UP (HE-l-ium sounds like 'heal' + 'up', lifting things high into the sky like balloons).
Frequently Asked Questions About “helium”
1. What is the meaning of “helium” in English?
In English, helium (noun) is defined as: “A chemical element with the atomic number 2, being a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic noble gas that is the second lightest element in the universe.”.
2. How do you use “helium” in a sentence?
“The party balloons were filled with helium to make them float in the air.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “helium”?
Coined in 1868 by English astronomer Norman Lockyer and chemist Edward Frankland, derived from the Greek word 'hēlios', meaning 'sun'. It was named thus because it was first detected as an unknown yellow spectral line signature in sunlight during a solar eclipse before it was ever found on Earth.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.