Aid or Aide?

by Craig Shrives

Aid or Aide?

What is the difference between "aid" and "aide"?

Aid
  • "Aid" means "help" or "assistance."
  • "To aid" means "to help" or "to assist."
Aide
  • "An aide" is a "helper" or an "assistant." (In other words, "an aide" is a person.)
aid or aide difference
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(Note: "Aid" and "aide" are homonyms, i.e., pronounced the same but with 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
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

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See Also

adverse or averse? affect or effect? Ms., Miss, or Mrs? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose? What are adjectives? List of easily confused words