French word

secours

Pronunciation

IPA/səkuʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhelp

Example

Appelez les secours, vite.

Call for help, quickly.

Illustration for secours (help)

More examples

Les secours sont arrivés en quelques minutes.

The emergency services arrived within a few minutes.

Core concept

A person or service rushing in to help during immediate danger.

Common phrases

  • appeler les secours

    call the emergency services

  • porter secours à

    come to ___'s aid

Similar words

aide: A concrete act of helping someone in need.
assistance: Organized aid provided by groups or professionals.
soutien: Ongoing emotional or practical support.

Definition in French

Aide immédiate ou assistance fournie à quelqu'un en difficulté, et par extension les services d'urgence appelés «les secours».

Word origin

Secours comes through Old French secors from Latin succursus, related to succurrere, meaning to run to someone's aid.

Usage tips

  • In the emergency call Appelez les secours, the plural usually refers to emergency services rather than one helper.

Other meanings

  • rescuenoun
  • aidnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word