alpha helix

noun

A secondary structure found in many proteins, in which the amino acids are arranged in a coil, or helix, with almost no free space on the inside and all side chains being pointed towards the outside

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Meanings

nounalpha helix (plural alpha helices or alpha helixes)

plural alpha helices · plural alpha helixes

  1. A secondary structure found in many proteins, in which the amino acids are arranged in a coil, or helix, with almost no free space on the inside and all side chains being pointed towards the outside

Translations

Catalan hèlix alfa
  • hèlix alfasecondary structure found in many proteins
Chinese Mandarin α螺旋
  • α螺旋 (alpha luóxuán)secondary structure found in many proteins
Finnish alfa-kierre
  • alfa-kierresecondary structure found in many proteins
Greek άλφα έλικα
  • άλφα έλικα (álfa élika)secondary structure found in many proteins
Irish alfa-héilics
  • alfa-héilicssecondary structure found in many proteins
Italian alfa-elica
  • alfa-elicasecondary structure found in many proteins
Portuguese alfa-hélice, hélice alfa
  • alfa-hélicesecondary structure found in many proteins
  • hélice alfasecondary structure found in many proteins
Russian а́льфа-спира́ль
  • а́льфа-спира́ль (álʹfa-spirálʹ)secondary structure found in many proteins
Spanish hélice alfa
  • hélice alfasecondary structure found in many proteins
Cite this entry
APA

alpha helix. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alpha%20helix

MLA

“alpha helix.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alpha%20helix. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alpha helix,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alpha%20helix.

Source: alpha helix on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.