helpmate

 
Pronunciation: /ˈhɛlpmeɪt/
(also helpmeet)

noun

  • a helpful companion or partner, especially one’s husband or wife: she acted as his pleasant but by no means uncritical helpmate

Origin:

late 17th century (as helpmeet): from an erroneous reading of Gen. 2:18, 20, where Adam's future wife is described as ‘an help meet for him’ (i.e. a suitable helper for him). The variant helpmate came into use in the early 18th century