# succour

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsʌkə/ · frequency rank #67,086

## Definitions
1. Aid, assistance, or relief given to one in distress; ministration.
2. Aid or assistance in the form of military equipment and soldiers, especially reinforcements sent to support military action.
3. Protection, refuge, shelter; (countable) a place providing such protection, refuge or shelter.

## Etymology
The noun is derived from Middle English socour, interpreted as the singular form of socours (“help; encouragement; remedy; protection; helper, protector”), which is from Anglo-Norman socurs, sucurs and Old French secors, secours (modern French secours), from Medieval Latin succursus (participle), from Latin succurrēre (“to run to the help of”), from Latin sub- (“from below”) + Latin currere (“run”).
The verb is derived from Middle English socouren (“to help”), from Anglo-Norman socure (compare modern French secourir), also from Latin succurrēre.

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