helper

From Middle English helpere, from Old English *helpere, from Proto-West Germanic *helpārī (“helper”), equivalent to help +‎ -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hälper (“helper”), West Frisian helper (“helper”), Dutch helper (“helper”), German Low German Helper (“helper”), German Helfer (“helper”), Danish hjælper (“helper”), Swedish hjälpare (“helper”), Icelandic hjálpar (“helper”).

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlpɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

helper (plural helpers)

1. One who helps; an aide; assistant; auxiliary.
2. That which helps; anything serving to assist.
   • 2005, PC World, volume 23, page 158:

     While Adobe's Acrobat Reader, Macromedia's Flash player, and other common plug-ins suggest themselves the moment you encounter a site that requires them, other browser helpers are harder to find.

   • 2012, Jude Deveraux, The Mulberry Tree, page 84:

     He no longer liked food that had “helper” in the name, such as Hamburger Helper and Tuna Helper. Patsy said he'd become uppity, and maybe, when it came to food, he had.

   • 2014, Neale Blackwood, Advanced Excel Reporting for Management Accountants, page 154:

     If a particular calculation is to be used a few times, it makes sense to put it in a helper cell so that it can be referred to by other formulas.

3. (Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines) A person who does cleaning and cooking in a family home, or in a market; domestic employee.
4. (rail transport, US) A locomotive that assists a train, usually on steep gradients.

   Synonym: banker

   • 1964 November, “Automatic helper locomotive control on the Louisville & Nashville RR, USA”, in Modern Railways, page 354:

     A device for the automatic control of crewless helper locomotives cut into the make-up of heavy freight trains has been perfected by the Louisville & Nashville RR in conjunction with the General Railway Signalling Co.

5. (slang) A stimulating pill, especially amphetamine.
   • 1985, Priscilla Presley, Sandra Harmon, Elvis and Me, Putnam, →ISBN, page 152:

     And I routinely took more “helpers” when I woke up in order to maintain the fast pace and, more importantly, to study for my final exams.

• Jonathon Green (2024) “helpers n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang

• Hepler

From English helper.

• Hyphenation: hel‧per

helper

1. a maid; a servant or cleaner
2. an aide

From Middle Dutch helpere. Equivalent to helpen +‎ -er.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦɛl.pər/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: hel‧per

helper m (plural helpers, diminutive helpertje n)

1. One who helps, gives aid; deputy, assistant, aide, flunky

   Synonyms: assistent, hulp

• Negerhollands: helper