helmet
HEHL-miht
Helmet (noun) means a hard protective covering worn on the head, especially during sports, combat, or dangerous work. Example: “The cricketer ducked, and the ball bounced harmlessly off his helmet.”
noun
1
A hard protective covering worn on the head, especially during sports, combat, or dangerous work.
"Most speedboarders wear helmets, knee and elbow pads, and occasionally all-in-one aerodynamic suits, to protect themselves."
— Noam Friedlander, Dangerous sport of speedboarding banned from Malibu streets (2009)
"The cricketer ducked, and the ball bounced harmlessly off his helmet."
"Always wear a helmet when riding a bike."
"The construction workers wore hard hats and helmets on site."
How to use helmet
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishProtective head gear worn for safety in sports, construction, or combat.
Common pairings
wear a helmet
bike helmet
football helmet
safety helmet
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Word forms
- Plural
- helmets
- Third person singular
- helmets
- Past tense
- helmeted, helmetted
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The cricketer ducked, and the ball bounced harmlessly off his _____.
Etymology
From Old French helmet, a diminutive of helme ("helm"), itself borrowed from a Germanic word.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “helmet” mean?
The word “helmet” means a hard protective covering worn on the head, especially during sports, combat, or dangerous work. In plain terms, protective head gear worn for safety in sports, construction, or combat.
How do you pronounce “helmet”?
“Helmet” is pronounced HEHL-miht (/ˈhɛlmɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “helmet” in a sentence?
Here is “helmet” used in a sentence: “Always wear a helmet when riding a bike.”
What part of speech is “helmet”?
“Helmet” is a noun.
Where does the word “helmet” come from?
The word “helmet” comes from Old French. From Old French helmet, a diminutive of helme ("helm"), itself borrowed from a Germanic word.
Is “helmet” a common word?
“Helmet” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between a helmet and a hard hat?
A helmet is any hard protective covering worn on the head, used in sports, combat, or dangerous work, while a hard hat is the specific rigid helmet worn on construction and industrial sites. In other words, a hard hat is one type of helmet.
What is the difference between a helmet and headgear?
Headgear is the umbrella term for anything worn on the head, from hats to veils, while a helmet is specifically a hard covering designed to protect the head. All helmets are headgear, but most headgear offers no protection.
Is it spelled helmet or helmut?
The protective head covering is spelled helmet, ending in -met. Helmut, ending in -mut, is a German male given name, so the two words are easy to confuse but never interchangeable.
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