ἕλιξ · helix — LSJ
anything which assumes a spiral shape: once in Hom., γναμπτάς θʼ ἕλικας, of armlets or ear-rings, Il. 18.401 (cf. ἑλικτήρ), cf. h.Ven. 87, Arist. Mir. 840b20:—afterwards in various relations:
whirl, convolution, ἕλικες στεροπῆς flashes of forked lightning, A. Pr. 1083 (anap.); of circular or spiral motion, αἱ κινήσεις καὶ ἕλικες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Arist. Metaph. 998a5; ἕλικα ἐκτυλίσσειν Ti.Locr. 97c; wreath of smoke, A.R. 1.438.
tendril of the vine, Thphr. CP 2.18.2; βοσκὰς εὐφύλλων ἑλίκων E. Hel. 1331 (lyr.); βότρυος ἕλικα παυσίπονον the clustering grape, Ar. Ra. 1321 (lyr.).
tendril of ivy, Id. Th. 1000; also, ivy, Hedera Helix, Thphr. HP 3.18.6, 7.8.1.
curl or lock of hair, AP 10.19 (Apollonid.), 12.10 (Strat.), Anacreont. 16.6.
coil of a serpent, E. HF 399 (lyr.): pl., feelers of the polypus, AP 9.14 (Antiphil. Byz.).
volute on the capital of a column, Callix. 1, Vitr. 4.1.12.
convolution of a spiral shell (cf. ἑλίκη II), Arist. HA 547b11: pl., convolutions of the bowels, Id. PA 675b24: sg., colon, ib. 675b20; also of the ear, Id. de An. 420a13, Ruf. Onom. 44.
spiral running round a staff, Ael. VH 9.11, Ath. 12.543f; on a childʼs ball, A.R. 3.139; spiral strip folded round the scytale, Plu. Lys. 19.
Geom., spiral, Epicur. Ep. 2p.40U., Hermesian. 7.86; περὶ ἑλίκων, title of work by Archim.; also, = κύκλος, Hsch.
of planets’ orbit, Eudox. Ars 5.3, Theo Sm. p.201 H.; but also of the sunʼs and moonʼs orbits, Eudox. Ars 9.2.
helix, screw-windlass, employed in launching ships, invented by Archimedes, Moschio ap. Ath. 5.207b.
treadmill used to raise water, Ph. 1.410.
pl., involved sentences, D.H. Th. 48.
Adj. winding, ὁ ῥοῦς φέρεται ἕλικα πορείαν Dion.Byz. 3.