helper

Meaning

1. One who helps; an aide; assistant; auxiliary.
2. That which helps; anything serving to assist.
3. A person who does cleaning and cooking in a family home, or in a market; domestic employee.
4. A locomotive that assists a train, usually on steep gradients.
5. (slang) A stimulating pill, especially amphetamine.

Synonyms

assistant

aid

aide

supporter

help

second

2nd

helpmate

assistent

auxiliary

adjunct

benefactor

apprentice

mate

🧉

servant

coadjutor

helpmeet

patron

attendant

protector

backer

aider

companion

coadjutant

assister

friend

adjuvant

succourer

associate

partner

advisor

acolyte

accomplice

sponsor

tutor

caretaker

defender

deputy

helping hand

hodman

taking care of

efficient assistance

witness for

actor’s assistant

aidant

abettors

help with farm work

pilot locomotive

helper engine

assistant locomotive

Luyana

abetters

abetter

abettor

adherent

agent

ally

assistants

assisting

attender

backers

booster

booster locomotive

carer

collaborator

contributor

convoy

corrector

curare

financier

gopher

handler

helpers

helpmates

laborer

lackey

orderly

paraprofessional

racker

rescuer

right-hand man

server

slave

succor

supplement

supporters

yeoman

day laborer

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈhɛlpɚ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: helpere

Inherited from Old English: *helpere

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Hälper

Cognate with Western Frisian: helper

Cognate with Dutch: helper

Cognate with German: Helfer

Cognate with Danish: hjælper

Cognate with Swedish: hjälpare

Cognate with Icelandic: hjálpar

In summary

From Middle English helpere, from Old English *helpere, from Proto-West Germanic *helpārī (“helper”), equivalent to help + -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hälper (“helper”), West Frisian helper (“helper”), Dutch helper (“helper”), German Low German Helper (“helper”), German Helfer (“helper”), Danish hjælper (“helper”), Swedish hjälpare (“helper”), Icelandic hjálpar (“helper”).