Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

helping

/ˈhɛlpɪŋ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.78 in modern English

Syllables: help-ing
IPA: /ˈhɛlpɪŋ/

13

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The act of giving aid or assistance (to).

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A portion or serving, especially of food that one takes for oneself, or to which one helps oneself.

Countable

noun

An amount or quantity.

Countable

verb

present participle and gerund of help

Example Sentences

"She finds great joy in helping people."
"She eagerly took a second helping of ice cream."
"Wayne Rooney marked his England return with the goal that secured a place in Euro 2012's last eight - but it was a rough passage eased by helpings of good fortune and controversy against Ukraine."

Etymology

From Middle English helping, helpinge, helpynge, equivalent to help + -ing.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: helping, helpinge, helpende, helpan
Suffix: help

Usage

Inflected Forms

helpings (plural)

Phrases

double helping helping profession oath-helping second helping help oneself

Frequently Paired Words

help oneself

Synonyms

portion serving

Rhymes With

yelping

Questions

How do you pronounce helping?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhɛlpɪŋ/.
What does helping mean?: The act of giving aid or assistance (to).
Where does helping come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce helping

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “helping”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhɛlpɪŋ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “helping”.
Repeat and practice — Say “helping” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.