Helen of Troy

noun phrase

ˌhe-lən-əv-ˈtrȯi How to pronounce Helen of Troy (audio)
: the wife of Menelaus whose abduction by Paris brings about the Trojan War

Examples of Helen of Troy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Back in January, the billionaire amplified racist backlash surrounding Christopher Nolan‘s decision to cast Lupita Nyong’o as the mythological character Helen of Troy and her twin sister Clytemnestra in the recent film adaptation of the Greek epic. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 Some scholars have pushed back against claims that Nyong’o’s casting is historically inaccurate, because Helen of Troy is a mythological figure and the ancient Greeks did not have a modern concept of race. — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 Questions about the film’s treatment of race sparked by the casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra are largely beside the point, according to Zacharia. — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026 His commentary on the film dates to January, when rumors of Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy first began circulating. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for Helen of Troy

Word History

First Known Use

1510, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Helen of Troy was in 1510

Rhymes for Helen of Troy

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Browse Nearby Words

helenium
Helen of Troy
Heleocharis
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Cite this Entry

“Helen of Troy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Helen%20of%20Troy. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Helen of Troy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Helen of Troy

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