He

Multiple Entries:
  He    HE    he    helium  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
He

▶symbol the chemical element helium.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
HE

▶abbreviation

• 1 high explosive.

• 2 His Eminence.

• 3 His or Her Excellency.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
he/hi/

▶pronoun [third person sing.]

• 1 used to refer to a man, boy, or male animal previously mentioned or easily identified.

• 2 used to refer to a person or animal of unspecified sex (in modern use, now largely replaced by ‘he or she’ or ‘they’).

• 3 any person (in modern use, now largely replaced by ‘anyone’ or ‘the person’).

▶noun a male; a man.

– origin OE he, hē, of Gmc origin.

usage: Until quite recently he was used to refer to a person of unspecified sex, as in every child needs to know that he is loved. However, this use is now regarded as old-fashioned or sexist. One alternative, which is gaining acceptance in both speech and writing, is to use they instead of he (everyone needs to feel that they matter), especially where it occurs after an indefinite pronoun such as everyone or someone. Another alternative is he or she, though this can become long-winded when used frequently.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
helium /ˈhiːlɪəm/

▶noun the chemical element of atomic number 2, an inert gas which is the lightest member of the noble gas series. (Symbol: He)

– origin C19: mod. L., from Gk hēlios ‘sun’, because its existence was inferred from an emission line in the sun's spectrum.