Word of the Week – Helicopter

The word helicopter dates, not surprisingly, only from 1861. When the word was coined, it was meant to be a “device that enabled airplanes to rise perpendicularly.” How? Using spiral airfoils. This didn’t work, so the word was put to use in 1918 for the modern idea of a helicopter instead…but not before everyone from the Wright brothers to Jules Verne had used it.

The interesting bit is how the word was created. In our minds it’s usually heli + copter. But in fact it’s helico from the Latinized form of the Greek helicos, meaning “spiral thing” and pteron, “wing” or “winged thing”–think pterodactyl.

So really, a helicopter is just a spiral winged thing. 😉