helmet

Etymology

From Middle English helmet, helmett, a borrowing from Old French helmet, heaumet, a diminutive of helme (Modern French heaume), equivalent to helm + -et. The Old French is itself of Germanic origin (whence Old English helm). Used in English since the 15th century, it has largely displaced helm as the general word.

noun

1. A hard, protective head covering, typically part of armour.
   1. (heraldry) Such a helm when placed above a shield on a coat of arms.
2. That which resembles a helmet in form, position, etc.
   1. The upper part of a chemist's retort.
   2. The hood-shaped upper sepal or petal of some flowers, as of the monkshood or the snapdragon.
   3. A naked shield or protuberance on the top or fore part of the head of a bird.
   4. The glans penis.
      1. (by extension, derogatory) A contemptible or stupid person.
         Jarvo’s a stinky old helmet. Sep 3, 2021, MJowen174, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-01-14

verb

1. (transitive) To cover with, or as if with, a helmet.