Where does the word “helpmeet” come from and What does helpmeet mean?

Although this is another word for “helpmate,” it was formed through a misunderstanding.

If one turns to Genesis 2: 18, one reads, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”

The meaning of meet in this passage is “suitable, fitting, proper.” Hence the biblical intent was “a suitable helper for him.”

But the two words were consistently read as one, many years ago, and resulted in an unneeded word.