helmet
n.-
1 protective headgear (n.) A2 Elementarya hard hat you wear to protect your head from injury.
a piece of protective equipment worn on the head to prevent injury from impact, falling objects, or accidents.
ExampleYou must wear a helmet whenever you ride your bicycle on the road.
ExampleSafety regulations require all personnel to wear a reinforced helmet while present on the construction site to mitigate the risk of head injuries.
- hard hat
- headgear
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2 anatomical/botanical part (n.) C2 Proficiency Technical Sciencea part of a plant or animal that looks like a hard hat.
a structure in certain plants or animals that resembles a protective head covering in shape or function.
ExampleThe flower has a small helmet that protects the seeds inside.
ExampleThe upper sepal of the monkshood flower forms a distinct helmet, which serves to protect the reproductive organs from heavy rain.
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3 vulgar slang (n.) C2 Proficiency British English Slang Vulgara rude word for the end of a penis.
a vulgar slang term referring to the glans penis.
ExampleThe comedian made a crude joke about a helmet that made the audience uncomfortable.
ExampleThe script was edited for television to remove several instances of 'helmet' used as a vulgar anatomical reference.
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.