A helmet is a hard protective covering worn on the head to prevent injury, especially in sports, work, or battle.
From Old French “helmet,” a diminutive of “helme,” meaning a protective head covering. It is related to Germanic words for protective gear for the head.
The ‘-met’ ending actually comes from a little “-et” meaning “small,” so a helmet was originally a kind of small or specific type of helm. Over time, “helm” split toward steering and “helmet” stayed with head protection.
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