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Aid or Aide?
What Is the Difference between "Aid" and "Aide"?
The Quick Answer
Aid
(noun, adjective, or verb) "help" or "assistance" (or, as a verb, "to help" or "to assist")- The government provided aid after the flooding.
- The aid convoy will arrive at 5 o'clock.
- We can aid the refugees by giving them water.
Aide
(noun) "helper" or "assistant"- It transpired that the President's aide was a Soviet agent.

- The team provided aid to the refugees.
- The team will aid the refugees.
- There's too much work. I need an aide.
A Video Summary
Here is a short video summarizing the difference between "aid" and "aide."Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.
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
- Aide memoire
- aide-de-camp
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