Helicopter
/ˈhɛl.ɪˌkɒp.tər/noun
A powered aircraft with rotating blades that generate lift and allow it to take off and land vertically.
Did you know?The word was coined in the 19th century from Greek roots, and the same spiral-root behind it also gave English words tied to spirals and twisting forms.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἕλιξ (helix)
“spiral, twist, or helix”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πτερόν (pteron)
“wing”
1860s
French
hélicoptère
“a flying machine with rotating blades”
Late 19th Century
English
helicopter
“a rotary-wing aircraft”
Modern English
English
helicopter
“a powered aircraft with rotating blades for vertical flight”