financial aid

[fi-nan-shuhl eyd, fahy-]

noun

1. monetary support, as a loan or scholarship, that is used to pay for school, especially higher education.

   I don’t qualify for need-based financial aid, so I’ll have to hope I’m awarded a merit-based grant.

Word History and Origins

Origin of financial aid¹

First recorded in 1770–80, for an earlier sense

Related Words

• aid 
• allowance 
• appropriation 
• assistance 
• bonus 
• contribution 
• endowment 
• gift 
• grant 
• payment 
• pension 
• premium 
• scholarship 
• support