English

Proper noun

Helen ‎(plural Helens)

1. (Greek mythology) the daughter of Zeus and Leda, considered to be the most beautiful woman in the world; her abduction by Paris brought about the Trojan War.
   • 1602 William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, Act I, Scene I

     Fools on both sides! Helen must needs be fair,

     When with your blood you daily paint her thus.

2. A female given name.
   • 1928 Agatha Christie, The Mystery of the Blue Train

     "Is her name Ellen or Helen, Miss Viner? I thought - "

     Miss Viner closed her eyes.

     "I can sound my h's, dear, as well as anyone, but Helen is not a suitable name for a servant. I don't know what the mothers in the lower classes are coming to nowadays."

   • 1993 Oscar Hijuelos, The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien, ISBN 0-14-023028-9, page 6:

     - - - in 1910 she brought Helen into the world, the little female, or "mujercita", as her mother called all the babies, naming her after the glittery label on a facial ointment, The Helen of Troy Beauty Pomade, said to eradicate wrinkles, to soften and add a youthful glow to the user's skin - a fortuitous choice because, of all the sisters, she would be the most beautiful and, never growing old, would always possess the face of a winsome adolescent beauty.

   • 2003 Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death, HarperCollins, ISBN 0060534389, page 189

     Gemma followed her, thinking that Helen seemed rather an old-fashioned and elegant name for this rumpled young mother.

Related terms

• Elaine, Elena, Ellen, Ellie, Helena, Helene, Ilona, Lena, Nell, Nellie

Translations

Danish

Proper noun

Helen

1. A female given name borrowed from English.

Estonian

Proper noun

Helen

1. A female given name, short form of Helena, also borrowed from English Helen.

Norwegian

Proper noun

Helen

1. A female given name borrowed from English.

Swedish

Proper noun

Helen

1. A female given name borrowed from English.

Dutch

Verb

helen

1. To heal.

   De tijd die alle wonden heelt.

   The time that heals all wounds. (Marco Borsato – Wereld Zonder Jou)

Inflection

Derived terms

• heelkunde

Synonyms

• genezen

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *helan ‎(“hide, conceal”), from Proto-Germanic *helaną. The modern sense is probably borrowed from early modern German hehlen.

Verb

helen

1. To accept (and sell) stolen goods.

   Je hebt die spullen geheeld en dat is strafbaar.

   You have accepted those stolen things and that is illegal.

Inflection