first aid

noun

: emergency care or treatment given to an ill or injured person before regular medical aid can be obtained

Examples of first aid in a Sentence

She gave him first aid for his sprained ankle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
School staff called 911 and began administering first aid before first responders arrived and took over, Deputy Chief Nick Szczepanski of the Palm Bay Police Department said in a news conference later that day. — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2026 One dead roach with a sense of irony died in a first aid box on a kitchen wall. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 Emergency personnel, including state investigators and municipal police, rushed to the scene to administer first aid to the young woman, the outlet reported. — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Citizen App Officers provided first aid until medics arrived and he was taken to a local hospital. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first aid

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of first aid was in 1867

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“First aid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20aid. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

first aid

noun
: emergency treatment given to an ill or injured person

Medical Definition

: emergency care or treatment given to an ill or injured person before regular medical aid can be obtained
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster