Correct spelling, explanation: aid and aide are pronounced the same but have different meanings. The word aid is used as a verb and a noun. As a verb, aid means to provide support or to give assistance. As a noun, aid typically means assistance or a person or thing that provides assistance. In both the verb and noun senses, aid is used as a synonym of the word help, but is somewhat more formal. Aid originates from Old French and Late Latin (adjutare).

Correct spelling, explanation: the words aide and aid are very easy to mistake. They are pronounced the same and are constructed very similarly, differing only by one letter. However, it’s important to know that they don’t mean the same thing, although their meanings are not too distant. Besides, aide functions only as a noun, while aid is used as both a noun and a verb. Aide comes from Old French and it appeared in the English language in the 18th century.

Definition of aide:
noun, an assistant to an important person, especially a political leader
The CEO’s personal aide assisted with managing her busy schedule and organizing important meetings.
The classroom aide provided extra support to the students with learning disabilities, helping them grasp difficult concepts.

Collocations with aide:
Some most commonly used collocations include:
1. Personal aide: A person who assists and supports someone, often in a high-ranking position, with their daily tasks and responsibilities.
The wealthy entrepreneur always had his trusted personal aide by his side, managing his appointments and travel arrangements.
2. Executive aide: A person who provides administrative support to a high-level executive, helping with scheduling, correspondence, and other tasks.
As an executive aide, her responsibilities included preparing reports, coordinating meetings, and handling confidential documents for the CEO.
3. Political aide: A person who works closely with a politician or government official, providing advice, conducting research, and managing communication.
The senator relied on his political aide to research key issues and draft speeches for important events.
4. Presidential aide: An assistant who works in the office of the president, helping with various administrative and policy-related duties.
The president’s top aide advised him on matters of national security and foreign policy.