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Aid and Aide

The Quick Answer
What is the difference between aid and aide?

Aid means help or assistance.
To aid means to help or to assist.
An aide is a helper or an assistant. (In other words, an aide is a person.)

Aid and Aide

The words aid and aide sound identical, but their meanings are very different.
(Note: Aid and aide are homonyms, i.e., pronounced the same but with different meanings.)


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.)

  • Be bold and mighty powers will come to your aid. (Basil King)
  • I have known sorrow and learned to aid the wretched.   (Virgil, 70-19 BC)



  • General McChrystal and his aides told the unvarnished truth.
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