Meaning
To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From Middle English helen, from Old English hǣlan (“to heal, cure, save, greet, salute”), from Proto-West Germanic *hailijan, from Proto-Germanic *hailijaną (“to heal, make whole, save”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“healthy, whole”). Derived from the adjective at hand in whole. Cognates Cognate with Scots hale, hail (“to heal”), Saterland Frisian heila, heilen (“to heal”), West Frisian hielje, Dutch helen (“to heal”), German heilen (“to heal”), Danish hele, Swedish hela (“to heal”), and further Russian цели́ть (celítʹ, “to heal”), Polish calić (“to save”), Czech celit (“to heal”), Serbo-Croatian céliti (“to heal”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 22 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-20HACEILT
- 2026-08-09HACELOT
- 2025-11-25EAONLGH
- 2025-11-01LAMEDHN
- 2025-06-30LAUHEPV
- 2025-02-13HTALEBI
- 2025-01-27HYALCBE
- 2025-01-18HPLAMED
- 2024-12-17LAMECHY
- 2024-12-14HANECLO
- 2024-11-19HAEILVY
- 2024-10-26HAULDEB
+10 earlier appearances in the archive.