Where does “helm” come from?

helm (Middle English) comes from Old English helm, from Proto-West Germanic helm, from Proto-Germanic helmaz, from Proto-Germanic halmaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱolh₂mos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.

helm (Middle English): A helmet; a piece of armoured headgear; Any kind...

Definitions

  1. A helmet; a piece of armoured headgear; Any kind...

Ancestry of “helm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhelmhelmet; protection, defense; covering, crown
2Proto-West Germanichelmhelmet
3Proto-Germanichelmazhelmet
4Proto-Germanichalmazhalm; stem; stalk; straw; hay
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱolh₂mosstalk
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₂-to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab

Words derived from “helm”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱolh₂mos →Every word from Proto-Germanic halmaz →