Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “helm” come from?

helm (Middle High German) comes from Old High German 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 High German): stalk

Definitions

  1. stalk

Ancestry of “helm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanhelmhelmet
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”

  • behelmt
  • Hellebarde
  • Stahlhelm
  • Helm
  • hilpari
  • hillebard
  • hełm
  • helmbarte
  • hellebarte
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- →