# provide

> English word · Verb · IPA /pɹəˈvaɪd/ · frequency rank #738

## Definitions
1. To make a living; earn money for necessities.
2. To act to prepare for something.
3. To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate.
4. To give what is needed or desired, especially basic needs.
5. To furnish (with), cause to be present, supply.
6. To make possible or attainable.
7. To foresee, to consider in advance.
8. To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See provisor.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English providen, from Latin prōvidēre (“to foresee, act with foresight”). Doublet of purvey.

## Easily confused with
- **proving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-proving)
- **provoke** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-provoke)
- **proviso** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-proviso)
- **provided** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-provided)
- **provides** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-provides)
- **province** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-province)
- **provider** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-provider)
- **provident** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/provide-vs-provident)
- **prove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prove-vs-provide)
- **pride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pride-vs-provide)
- **proved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/proved-vs-provide)
- **profile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/profile-vs-provide)
- **promise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/promise-vs-provide)
- **preside** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preside-vs-provide)
- **peroxide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/peroxide-vs-provide)

## Common misspellings (10)
`porvide`, `pprovide`, `proivde`, `provdie`, `providde`, `provied`, `provvide`, `prrovide`, `prvoide`, `rpovide`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/provide