helmet

noun

hel·​met ˈhel-mət 

1

: a covering or enclosing headpiece of ancient or medieval armor see armor illustration

2

: any of various protective head coverings usually made of a hard material to resist impact

3

: something resembling a helmet

helmeted

ˈhel-mə-təd 

adjective

helmetlike

ˈhel-mət-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of helmet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Watch Shepherd try on her own version of Smith's house helmet in the clip above. —EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025

Zoom in: Based near San Diego, LIGHT uses technology to create helmets that are about half the weight of a typical NFL helmet while still meeting top safety standards. —Maxwell Millington, Axios, 2 Feb. 2025

Tardis-like with space enough for ski boots, helmet, and a week’s worth of outerwear and evening clothes, the extra-wide straps help distribute the weight more evenly than other bags he’s tested. —Parker Hall, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2025

Excavations haven’t found the rest of the helmet, so its overall shape remains unknown. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, diminutive of helme helmet, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English helm helmet, Old High German helan to conceal — more at hell

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing helmet

• crash helmet
• pith helmet

Kids Definition

helmet

noun

hel·​met ˈhel-mət 

1

: a covering or enclosing headpiece of armor

2

: any of various protective head coverings usually made of a hard material

helmetlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective