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

He was given a helmet with stars representing 82 regular-season wins and 18 playoff wins. —Cody Thorn, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2025

His helmet is a nod to physics, a fundamental science that’s deeply woven into the makeup of motorsports, and also a tribute to his father. —Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

This is the first time an NFL head coach has been fined for a player altercation since Bruce Arians, who was coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was disciplined for hitting safety Andrew Adams’ helmet during a Wild Card Round game against the Philadelphia Eagles. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2025

The production used two internal fans in the helmets to keep condensation down and various internal screens inside the helmet shell to display data. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 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