Helmand

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Pashto هلمند (Helmand) or Persian هلمند (helmand), ultimately from Avestan 𐬵𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬎𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬝 (haētumant̰, literally “with dams”).

Proper noun

Helmand

1. (with the) A river in Afghanistan.
   • 1879, Sir Norman Lockyer, Nature, volume 19, page 41:

     To the west the Afghan plateau undergoes a very considerable depression, at the bottom of which lies the marshy lake, Hamoun, into which the Helmand river finds its way; but it again rises in the vast plains which lead towards Farsistan.

2. A province of Afghanistan, named after the river.
   • 2016 August 22, Sune Engel Rasmussen, The Guardian:

     Since late July, the Taliban have seized new territory across Helmand, defying a series of about 30 US airstrikes, and raising concern of an attack on the capital.

Translations

region, province and river

• Bengali: হেলমন্দ (helomondo)
• Hindi: हेलमंद m (helmand)
• Marathi: हेल्मंद (helmanda)
• Russian: Гильменд (Gilʹmend)

Further reading

• Helmand River on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Helmand Province on Wikipedia.Wikipedia