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

The audio, which was reviewed by PEOPLE, described a person in all-black — carrying a black long gun, wearing a black tactical helmet and mask, and possibly a tactical vest and jeans. —Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2025

Instead of juggling radios, apps, and paper maps, soldiers will see a unified picture through helmet displays. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025

In the experiments, mice wore electrode helmets while turning a tiny steering wheel to control the movement of a black-and-white striped circle on a screen. —Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025

Gifford says the ice cream cookie sandwich was a trend starting in the ‘80s, but the soft serve really led to the explosion of the helmet sundae popularity. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 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