first aid

American  

noun

1. emergency aid or treatment given to someone injured, suddenly ill, etc., before regular medical services arrive or can be reached.

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first aid British  

noun

1. 1. immediate medical assistance given in an emergency

   2. ( as modifier )

      first-aid box

2. (in Barbados) a small shop that sells domestic items after hours

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Other Word Forms

• first-aider
  noun
• first-aid
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of first aid

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

first aid

A pharmacist from Urda was one of the first to reach the scene, bringing with him first aid supplies and medicine.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Skaff said injuries beyond those requiring simple first aid are rare.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

They were given first aid before being taken to Nandankanan Zoological Park in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, where they are in quarantine and being monitored.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Adrienne cuts her leg on a rock, but Sara tends to it immediately with her handy dandy first aid kit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

The BDM administered first aid and worked alongside nurses in hospitals.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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