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 Word Forms

• helpingly adverb
• unhelping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of helping¹

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

Example Sentences

Many credit it for helping set the tone that led to the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

From BBC

After a job interview, Rory, then 28, was accepted for a job as a detention officer in Charing Cross custody suite, helping to make sure detainees were fed, watered, and kept safe.

From BBC

They're trying to send a different message - with new videos showing them greeting and helping those who flee.

From BBC

“Ending it removes a costly perk that slowed carpools without helping the climate,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

After a year in Bolivia, helping family farmers, and a stint teaching middle school, Mahan co-founded a social media company that focused on civic engagement and raising money for nonprofits.

From Los Angeles Times