helping

[ hel-ping ]

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that helps.
2. a portion of food served to a person at one time:

   That's his third helping of ice cream.

adjective

1. giving aid, assistance, support, or the like.

helping

/ ˈhɛlpɪŋ /

noun

1. a single portion of food taken at a meal

Other Words From

• helping·ly adverb
• un·helping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of helping¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English; help, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

“A lot of people call me ‘Mama Karen’ in Potomac because I love helping young folk,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

The solutions ranged from helping owners keep their pets to better customer service for potential adopters to letting adopters take dogs home before returning for spay or neuter operations.

From Los Angeles Times

They’ve built successful private school football programs while helping each other along the way.

From Los Angeles Times

This means favoring walking over driving, helping people engage in more social activities, and promoting moderate consumption of meat and alcohol.

From Science Magazine

This research provides an unprecedented view into how European populations adapted to environmental challenges over millennia, helping us understand how certain traits have persisted, disappeared, or been altered over time.

From Science Daily