helping

American

[hel-ping] / ˈhɛl pɪŋ /

noun

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

That's his third helping of ice cream.

adjective

giving aid, assistance, support, or the like.

helping British

/ ˈhɛlpɪŋ /

noun

a single portion of food taken at a meal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

helpingly adverb
unhelping adjective

Etymology

Origin of helping

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Lamine Yamal, 18, was making his 26th appearance for Spain and played a key role in helping his nation win the European Championship in 2024.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Her sister, Yolanda “Yola” Honda, 82, was staying at the house and helping her with the recovery.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Even though different species can still interbreed, these inversions limit how much their DNA mixes, helping maintain distinct traits.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Michael Amon is deputy world coverage chief, helping to direct coverage across all The Wall Street Journal's foreign bureaus.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

All my hard work helping him get to this point will have been for nothing.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023