helices
The plural of "helix" is helices.
helix comes from Latin, and like many Latin nouns ending in -ex or -ix it changes the ending to -ices.
Meaning: a spiral shape (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with helices: the helices are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: helices'.
How do you pronounce it?
helix is pronounced /ˈhiːlɪks/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Both helices, said HEL-ih-seez, and helixes are correct. helices is more common in science.
Did you know?
- Many scientific words kept their Latin or Greek plurals when they entered English, such as fungi, bacteria and criteria.
Examples in context
- DNA is made of two helices.Singular: DNA is made of a double helix.
- The helices wind around each other.Singular: The helix winds around each other.
