Aid or Aide?

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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, and it can be used as a noun or a verb. "Aide" is a helper or an assistant. (In other words, an "aide" is a person.) For example:

• The team provided aid to the refugees.
(In this example, "aid" is a noun. It means "help" or "assistance.")
• The team will aid the refugees.
(Here, "aid" is a verb. It means "to help" or "to assist.")
• 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."

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

Common terms with the word "aide":

• Aide memoire
• aide-de-camp

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