Where does “helm” come from?
Helm comes from Middle English helm, from Old English helma, from Proto-Germanic halmaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-, a root meaning to conceal or cover.
helm (English): The steering apparatus of a ship, especially the...
Definitions
- The steering apparatus of a ship, especially the...
Ancestry of “helm”, step by step
helm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German helm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | helm | helmet |
| 2 | Middle High German | helm | stalk |
| 3 | Old High German | helm | helmet |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | helm | helmet |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | helmaz | helmet |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | halmaz | halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱolh₂mos | stalk |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelh₂- | to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab |