Aid or Aide?

What Is the Difference between "Aid" and "Aide"?

"Aid" and "aide" are easy to confuse because they sound identical and their meanings both relate to providing help.

• "Aid" means help or assistance. For example:
• The team provided aid to the refugees.
• The team will aid the refugees.
(Note that "to aid" means "to help" or "to assist.")

• "Aide" is a helper or an assistant. (In other words, an "aide" is a person.) For example:
• There's too much work. I need an aide.
(I need a person to help me.)

Note: "Aid" and "aide" are homonyms. This means they are pronounced the same but have different meanings.

A Video Summary

Here is a short video summarizing the difference between "aid" and "aide."

Aid

The word "aid" means "help" or "assistance." It is commonly seen as an adjective, a noun, or a verb. (As a verb, it means "to help" or "to assist.")

Examples:

• Be bold and mighty powers will come to your aid. (Canadian writer Basil King)
• I have known sorrow and learned to aid the wretched.   (Roman poet Virgil)

Aide

The noun "aide" means "a helper" or "an assistant." "An aide" is a person.

Examples:

• General McChrystal and his aides told the unvarnished truth.
• The Libyan leader caused a scene at the African Heads of State Summit in Munyonyo when he slapped one of his aides for taking him to a wrong venue.

Common Terms with "Aid" and "Aide"

Common terms with the word "aid":

• Aid and abet
• Band Aid
• to come to (someone's) aid
• in aid of

Common terms with the word "aide":

• Aide memoire
• aide-de-camp

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