Secours

Secours is a French noun meaning aid, assistance, relief, or rescue provided in response to need or emergencies. It can refer to material support, financial help, or human aid offered by individuals, organizations, or government bodies. The related verb secourir means to help or to come to the aid of someone, and its noun forms describe acts or instances of aid. The term derives from Old French secour and ultimately from the Latin succurrere, literally “to run to help.”

In everyday language, secour is used in phrases such as porter secours (to come to someone’s aid), apporter du secours (to provide aid), or recevoir des secours (to receive assistance). In emergency contexts, les secours denotes emergency services or relief efforts, including medical aid, rescue operations, and disaster relief.

In humanitarian and charitable contexts, several French organizations incorporate the term or embody its mission. Secours Catholique, officially Secours Catholique–Caritas France, is a Catholic charity that provides social assistance to people in precarious situations. Secours populaire français is a secular nonprofit that offers material aid, promotes social justice, and campaigns against poverty. The word is also common in public discourse to describe relief measures following disasters or the act of rescuing someone in danger.

The concept of secour is recognized beyond French-speaking regions as part of a broader humanitarian vocabulary, reflecting a shared emphasis on timely help for those in need.