Where does “helm” come from?

helm (Old Dutch) comes 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.

Ancestry of “helm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanichelmhelmet
2Proto-Germanichelmazhelmet
3Proto-Germanichalmazhalm; stem; stalk; straw; hay
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱolh₂mosstalk
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₂-to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab

Words derived from “helm”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- →
helm — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer