Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

helicopter

/ˈheliːˌkɔptə(ɹ)/ noun

In Latin: helicopterum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about helicopter at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An aircraft without wings that obtains its lift from the rotation of overhead blades.

Origin

Borrowed from French hélicoptère, from Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix, “spiral”) + πτερόν (pterón, “wing”). Doublet of helicopteron. By surface analysis, helico- + -pter. The dragonfly sense is from a dragonfly's ability to hover and fly in any direction, like the flying machine.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word