helm

helm · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱel-“to cover”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*helmô“handle; helm, tiller”
3. Old English · inherited fromhelma“helm, tiller”
4. Middle English · inherited fromhelm
5. English todayhelm

The noun is derived from Middle English helm, helme (“tiller of a ship”), from Old English helma (“helm, tiller”), from Proto-Germanic *helmô (“handle; helm, tiller”), either from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”) or from the same source as haulm and helm (“bentgrass, straw”) (see below), Proto-Indo-European *ḱélh₂-m(on)- (“reed, hollow stalk”), one form of which then developed a specialized meaning “handle” in Germanic. The verb is derived from the noun. Cognates * German Holm (“beam”) * Old Norse hjálm

helm · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*ḱelmos
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*helmaz“protective covering”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*helm
4. Old English · inherited fromhelm“helmet”
5. Middle English · inherited fromhelm“helmet; crown of thorns of Jesus; warrior; inn or shop sign”
6. English todayhelm

From Middle English helm (“helmet; crown of thorns of Jesus; warrior; inn or shop sign”) [and other forms], from Old English helm (“helmet”), from Proto-West Germanic *helm, from Proto-Germanic *helmaz (“protective covering”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelmos, from the root *ḱel- (“to cover”). Doublet of heaume and related to helmet. Cognates * Gothic 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐌼𐍃 (hilms) * Old Frisian helm (West Frisian helm) * Old High German helm (Middle High German helm, modern German Helm; Italian elmo; Old French helme, modern French heaume; Spanish yelmo) * Old Norse hjalmr (Danish hjelm, Norwegian hjelm, Swedish hjälm) * Old Saxon helm (Low German Helm, Middle Dutch helm, modern Dutch helm)

helm · verb³

1. Old English · inherited fromhelmian“to cover”
2. Middle English · inherited fromhelmen
3. English todayhelm

From Middle English helmen, helmi (“to provide with a helmet; (figuratively) to cover; to protect”), from Old English helmian (“to cover”), ġehelmian (“to cover with a helmet; to crown”), from (ġe- (prefix with an intensifying effect, or forming nouns or verbs denoting processes or results) +) helm (“helmet”) (see further at etymology 2) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns).

helm · noun, verb⁴

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*ḱelh₂-“to prick, stab, stick”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*helm
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*helmaz
4. Old English · inherited fromhealm“stalk of a grass or plant; hay, straw, stubble”
5. Middle English · inherited fromhealm“straw, stubble; stalk (?); handle of a tool or weapon”
6. Middle English · inherited fromhalm
7. English todayhelm

The noun is possibly: * a variant of haulm; or * from its etymon Middle English halm, helm, Early Middle English healm (“straw, stubble; stalk (?); handle of a tool or weapon”) [and other forms], from Old English healm (“stalk of a grass or plant; hay, straw, stubble”) or an unattested variant *helm, from Proto-Germanic *helmaz (see Proto-West Germanic *helm) or *halmaz (“stalk of a grass or plant; hay, straw”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelh₂- (“to prick, stab, stick”). The verb is either derived from the noun, or is possibly a variant of yelm. Cognates Dutch helm (“haulm”); helm, hellem, hellim (“straw”) (dialectal) Low German helm (“haulm”) (hallem (Heligoland), halm (Holstein))

Helm · proper noun⁵

Perhaps so called from the 'helm' or cap of clouds that forms above Cross Fell (known as the Helm Bar) and can predict and accompany a Helm.

Helm · proper noun⁶

1. German · borrowed fromHelm“a helmet”
2. Middle English · derived fromhelm“a helmet; a protection”
3. English todayHelm

Two main origins: * An English topographic surname for someone who lived by or worked at a temporary shelter for animals, from Middle English helm (“a helmet; a protection”). * Borrowed from German Helm (“a helmet”), metonymic occupational surname for a maker of helmets.

Words from the same roots