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

Derived Forms

• first-aider
  noun
• first-aid
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of first aid

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Staff at the site and teachers gave the boy first aid, with a mountain rescue team member also involved, before paramedics arrived.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Having been given first aid by a fellow passenger, Gjoshe managed to get himself out to the station car park, from where paramedics rushed him to hospital.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

Crew members tried to give him first aid, but to no avail, said Alok Singh, the late captain’s brother-in-law.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

It said its lifeguards had saved 2,165 lives since then and helped almost 500,000 people through water rescue, returning lost children and delivering first aid and casualty care.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

“The phone wasn’t waterproof anyway and the bag was drenched. I guess I should dive back down and look for it. We could use some of the other stuff, like the first aid kit.”

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith