A word from historical newspaper personal ads, explained with real examples from the archive.
A helper and partner, usually a wife.
| Type | Historical language |
|---|---|
| Category | Period vocabulary |
| Earliest example in the archive | February 26, 1922, Arizona Republican (Phoenix) |
| Most common | 1800s to the 1920s |
The word grew out of the 1611 King James Bible, where God makes Adam “an help meet for him,” meet meaning suitable. By the 1670s the two words were hyphenated and read as one noun, help-meet, and helpmate followed in the early 1700s. In February 1922, a kind-hearted woman of 32 advertised in the Arizona Republican for a refined businessman who would appreciate an “honest, lovable helpmeet.”
Sources: Online Etymology Dictionary, helpmeet.
KIND-HEARTED woman (32), good-looking, desires to meet refined business gentleman (under 55), one who'd appreciate honest, lovable helpmeet. Object matrimony. Box 47V,…
Partner.
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How this fits into 170 years of personal ad shorthand: From Object Matrimony to LTR: How Personal Ads Learned to Talk in Code.
All dictionary entries · The Personals Archive · How to write a personal ad
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