aide

[ eyd ]

noun

1. an assistant or helper, especially a paid employee:

   Years ago, my mom was a teacher’s aide in a kindergarten classroom.

2. nurse's aide:

   During the war she worked as an aide in a field hospital, changing bedpans and cleaning floors.

3. aide-de-camp.
4. an assistant or advisor to a public figure, especially one who works for a person in public office:

   He is a journalist and former White House aide.

5. home health aide:

   The agency just called to say my mom's aide didn't show up this morning.

aide

/ eɪd /

noun

1. an assistant
2. social welfare an unqualified assistant to a professional welfare worker
3. short for aide-de-camp

Confusables Note

See aid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of aide¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1770–80; from French: literally, “helper”; aid

Example Sentences

For Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., the cruelty of her new anti-trans diatribe against Rep.-elect Sarah McBride is just the means to an end: getting on TV, her former aide alleged on social media.

From Salon

Before serving as a Trump campaign aide, he was the spokesman for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

From Salon

Supporters have held prayer services, and in January, longtime aide Vincent Harris kicked off a “teach-in” where he and several lawyers walked through, in their view, deficiencies in the prosecution’s case.

From Los Angeles Times

Patel is a former Trump aide and spent three years working in the Department of Justice.

From Salon

Trump “is going to hit the Department of Justice with a blowtorch — and that torch is Matt Gaetz,” former Trump aide Stephen K. Bannon said last week.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assistant
• deputy
• supporter