Helly family

noun

A family of order k of sets, such that any minimal subfamily with an empty intersection has k or fewer sets in it.

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Meanings

nounHelly family (plural Helly families)

plural Helly families

  1. combinatoricsA family of order k of sets, such that any minimal subfamily with an empty intersection has k or fewer sets in it.

Origin

Named after the mathematician Eduard Helly (1884-1943).

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Cite this entry
APA

Helly family. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Helly%20family

MLA

“Helly family.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Helly%20family. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Helly family,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Helly%20family.

Source: Helly family on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.