helmet

noun

hel·​met ˈhel-mət How to pronounce helmet (audio)
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 adjective
helmetlike adjective

Examples of helmet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The little girl isn't wearing a helmet in any of the footage from that day, which sparked controversy in Anderson's comments. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 The lead photo on the funeral home tribute page displays Barnett posing before a lime green roadster, helmet tucked under one arm. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 About 16 percent of the crashes resulted in serious injuries, 21 percent involved juveniles and in 60 percent the bicycle or e-bike riders were not wearing a helmet. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 Williams, 71, of Manchester Center, who was wearing a helmet, suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead, police said. CBS News, 9 Mar. 2024 Now, a single tweet from Kelce could have Swifties swapping out their helmets for hoops. David Wysong, The Enquirer, 28 Feb. 2024 The helmet is constructed from thin, lightweight fiberglass and consists of a backplate, a faceplate and a neck ring. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 The men were in a bucket lift and working for a painting company at about 11 a.m. when one of them inadvertently touched the power line with his helmet, the fire department said. Jakob Rodgers, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 As always, there’s no cover, but a Viking helmet is passed for donations. Adele Chapin, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'helmet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of helmet was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near helmet

Cite this Entry

“Helmet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helmet. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

helmet

noun
hel·​met ˈhel-mət How to pronounce helmet (audio)
1
: a covering or enclosing headpiece of armor
2
: any of various protective head coverings usually made of a hard material
helmetlike adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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