Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “helmsman” come from?

Helmsman derives from English helm and man, with man descending through Middle English mon from Proto-Germanic mann-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European men- meaning thinking or human.

helmsman (English): A member of a ship's crew who is responsible for...

Definitions

  1. A member of a ship's crew who is responsible for...

Ancestry of “helmsman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMANInitialism of Metropolitan Area Network
2Middle EnglishmanTypically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;...
3Old Englishmānbad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;...
4Sanskritमहादेव—
5Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
6Sanskritमहायान—
7Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
8Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
9Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel

Words derived from “helmsman”

  • helmsmanship
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →