noun
helium
HEE-lee-uhm
noun
1
A colorless, odorless, chemically inert gas, the second-lightest element, used to fill balloons and cool superconducting equipment.
"Breathing in helium temporarily makes your voice sound squeaky."
"MRI machines rely on liquid helium to keep their magnets cold."
How to Use Helium
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe light gas that makes party balloons float and, if you inhale it, makes your voice go high-pitched.
Common mistake
Inhaling helium to change your voice is genuinely dangerous in more than tiny amounts — it displaces oxygen.
Common pairings
helium balloon
liquid helium
helium tank
Word Forms
heliums plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “helium”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Breathing in _____ temporarily makes your voice sound squeaky.
Etymology
From Greek helios ("sun"), because the element was first detected in sunlight before it was found on Earth.