Helen
[ hel-uh n ]
/ ˈhɛl ən /
noun
Also called Helen of Troy. Classical Mythology.
the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda and wife of Menelaus whose abduction by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War.
a female given name.
Origin of Helen
< French
Hélène < Latin
Helena < Greek
Helénē, of obscure origin, probably the name of a pre-Greek vegetation goddess; often linked by folk etymology with
helénē, helánē torch, St. Elmo's fire, an unrelated word
British Dictionary definitions for helen of troy
Helen
/ (ˈhɛlɪn) /
noun
Greek myth
the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose abduction by Paris from her husband Menelaus caused the Trojan War
Cultural definitions for helen of troy
Helen of Troy
In classical mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world, a daughter of Zeus by Leda. Her abduction by Paris led to the Trojan War (see also Trojan War). Helen's was “the face that launched a thousand ships”: the entire Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back. (See Judgment of Paris.)