Helpmate
/ˈhɛlp.meɪt/noun
A partner who provides help and support, especially a spouse or domestic companion.
Did you know?In Genesis 2:18, the King James Bible used “an help meet for him,” where “meet” meant “suitable”; later readers fused the phrase into the noun “helpmate.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*helpan
“To aid or support; the reconstructed ancestor of English help.”
Old English
Old English
help
“Aid, assistance, or the act of making something easier.”
1611
English
help meet
“A suitable helper or counterpart, in the King James Bible’s rendering of Genesis 2:18.”
17th Century
English
helpmate
“A developing compound created by interpreting “help meet” as “help” plus “mate.””
18th Century
English
helpmate
“A recognized noun for a helpful companion, particularly a spouse.”
Modern English
English
helpmate
“A supportive partner or associate.”