He
Abbreviation with 7 meanings
| Stands for | Helium |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 7 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Medical, Writing & Everyday, Education & Academia, Military, Religion |
| Also written | H.E., HE |
He has seven meanings. The most common are Helium (chemical element) and Hepatic encephalopathy (gastroenterology); it can also stand for His or Her Excellency, Higher education, High explosive, His Eminence and His Excellency.
Meanings of He at a glance
| # | He stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helium | Science & Engineering › Chemical Element |
| 2 | Hepatic encephalopathy | Medical › Gastroenterology |
| 3 | His or Her Excellency | Writing & Everyday › Title and Honorific |
| 4 | Higher education | Education & Academia › Academic |
| 5 | High explosive | Military › Weapon and Military Equipment |
| 6 | His Eminence | Religion › Religious Title |
| 7 | His Excellency | Religion › Religious Title |
1. Helium
Science & Engineering · Chemical Element Abbreviations
Noble gas with atomic number 2 and the lowest boiling point of any element, about 4.2 kelvins (-269 °C); it cannot be frozen at normal pressure at all. Liquid helium cools the superconducting magnets of MRI scanners and particle accelerators, while the gas fills party and weather balloons.
Example: Cylinder label: compressed He, 99.995% purity, not for inhalation.
Helium was found in the Sun before it was found on Earth: an unknown yellow line appeared in solar spectra during the 1868 eclipse, and Norman Lockyer named the element from Greek helios (sun). William Ramsay isolated it from the uranium mineral cleveite in 1895. Nearly all commercial helium is extracted from natural gas, where it accumulates from radioactive alpha decay over millions of years.
2. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE)
Medical · Gastroenterology Abbreviations
Brain dysfunction caused by liver failure or portosystemic shunting, ranging from subtle attention problems to confusion, asterixis and coma. Triggers include infection, GI bleeding, constipation, dehydration and sedatives; lactulose is first-line, with rifaximin added to prevent recurrence.
Example: Cirrhotic with grade 2 HE, asterixis present; lactulose titrated to three soft stools daily, rifaximin continued.
Severity is graded with the West Haven criteria from minimal HE through grades 1 to 4. A raised blood ammonia supports but does not define the diagnosis, so routine ammonia checks are discouraged in known cirrhosis. TIPS placement increases the risk of HE. Older texts call it portosystemic encephalopathy.
3. His or Her Excellency (H.E.)
Writing & Everyday · Title and Honorific Abbreviations
Diplomatic honorific used before the names of ambassadors, heads of state, governors-general and some other senior officials, especially on invitations, programs and correspondence.
Example: The reception will be hosted by H.E. Ambassador Amara Diallo on behalf of the embassy.
Diplomatic protocol uses "Your Excellency" in spoken address to ambassadors and many heads of state. American officials are generally not styled Excellency within the United States. Catholic usage also gives bishops and archbishops the style "His Excellency," and in other contexts HE means higher education.
4. Higher education (HE)
Education & Academia · Academic Abbreviations
Education at universities and colleges beyond secondary school, leading to degrees, diplomas and other qualifications at level 4 and above in the UK framework. British policy documents routinely contrast HE with FE (further education).
Example: Participation in HE among 18-year-olds varies widely by region.
In the US the full phrase "higher education" or "postsecondary education" is more common than the abbreviation. In British English "HE" may also be used for "His/Her Excellency" in diplomatic contexts. UK HE funding mostly comes through tuition fees backed by government loans.
5. High explosive (HE)
Military · Weapon and Military Equipment Abbreviations
Explosive that detonates rather than burns, such as TNT or RDX, and the type of shell or warhead filled with it, used for blast and fragmentation against troops and structures.
Example: The tank fired HE rounds into the building where the gunmen were hiding.
Ammunition is labeled by type: HE, HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank), HEDP (high-explosive dual-purpose) and others. Low explosives, such as gunpowder, burn rapidly instead. In chemistry, He is helium. High-explosive rounds are color-coded and stenciled so crews can identify them quickly.
6. His Eminence (H.E.)
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Style of address for Catholic cardinals, and in Orthodox churches for metropolitans and some archbishops. It is used in formal letters, invitations and event programs, as in "H.E. Cardinal Timothy Dolan".
Example: The program lists H.E. the Cardinal Archbishop as principal celebrant.
In speech, cardinals are addressed as "Your Eminence". The same abbreviation commonly stands for His or Her Excellency, used for bishops and diplomats, so formal documents often spell it out. Some Muslim grand muftis and Sufi leaders are also called His Eminence.
7. His Excellency (H.E.)
Religion · Religious Title Abbreviations
Style of address used in many countries for Catholic bishops and archbishops who are not cardinals, as well as for papal nuncios. It also applies widely to ambassadors and heads of state in diplomatic usage.
Example: The confirmation will be conferred by H.E. Bishop Daniel Thomas.
In the United States, Catholic bishops are addressed as "Your Excellency" and introduced as "the Most Reverend". British Catholic bishops are traditionally styled "the Right Reverend". The feminine form is Her Excellency.
Related abbreviations
More chemical element abbreviations
- Ga – Gallium
- Gd – Gadolinium
- Ge – Germanium
- H – Hydrogen
- Hf – Hafnium
- Hg – Mercury
- Ho – Holmium
- Hs – Hassium
See all 118 chemical element abbreviations →
More gastroenterology abbreviations
- GORD – Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
- GU – Gastric ulcer
- H. pylori – Helicobacter pylori
- HCC – Hepatocellular carcinoma
- HH – Hiatal hernia
- HIDA – Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan
- HNPCC – Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer
- HRS – Hepatorenal syndrome
See all 85 gastroenterology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.