helio

¹

[ hee-lee-oh ]

noun

, Informal.

, plural he·li·os.

1. a heliogram.
2. a heliograph.

helio-

²

1. a combining form meaning “sun,” used in the formation of compound words:

   heliolatry.

helio-

combining_form

1. indicating the sun

   heliocentric

   heliolithic

Word History and Origins

Origin of helio¹

By shortening

Origin of helio²

< Greek, combining form of hḗlios sun

Word History and Origins

Origin of helio¹

from Greek, from hēlios sun

Example Sentences

Dixon, who is from New Zealand, broke a tie in the Detroit Grand Prix record books with Will Power and Helio Castroneves.

From Seattle Times

His pass of Pato O’Ward two corners from the finish line gave Penske a record-extending 20th Indy 500 victory and made Newgarden the first back-to-back winner since Helio Castroneves did it for Penske in 2001-02.

From Seattle Times

But he also acknowledged that the discussions about his contract extension at Ganassi made life a lot more hectic as he tried to become the first driver to win back-to-back 500s since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.

From Seattle Times

Sure enough, moments later Newgarden engaged in a long conversation with former Penske driver Helio Castroneves.

From Seattle Times

The team won the 2021 Indianapolis 500 with Helio Castroneves.

From Seattle Times

Words That Use helio-

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-.

Examples of helio-

One example of a term that features the form helio- is heliolatry, meaning “worship of the sun.”

We know helio- means “sun,” and the -latry portion of the word refers to “worship,” from Greek -latria. Heliolatry literally translates to “sun worship.”

What are some words that use the combining form helio-?

• heliodor (using the equivalent form of helio- in German)
• heliogram
• heliograph
• heliometer
• heliophyte
• heliosphere
• heliotype

What are some other forms that helio- may be commonly confused with?

• helic-
• helico-

Break it down!

The combining form -phyte means “plant with a specific habitat.” With this in mind, what kind of plant does the botanical term heliophyte refer to?