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-aid
  adjective
• first-aider
  noun

Etymology

Origin of first aid

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

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 coroner found no evidence of any delay in administering first aid to Garg or taking him to a hospital.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Its curriculum ranges from basic first aid to countering Chinese information warfare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

“We have the headlamps and the GPS. The first aid kit would be nice, but …” She looked at his face.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith