succor

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 14, 2024 is: succor \SUCK-er\ noun Succor is a literary term meaning "something that you do or give to help someone who is suffering or in a difficult situation." // We see it as our duty to give succor to those in need. [See the entry >](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/succor) Examples: "The walls of Barcelona's international convention center might soon rattle once the 4,000 European exhibitors, suppliers and service providers in town for the CineEurope trade show breathe out a collective sigh of relief. At the root of such succor are Europe's more than encouraging box-office admissions, which saw a marked uptick in late 2022 and have continued to rise into the new year." — Ben Croll, Variety, 18 June 2023 Did you know? If you're a sucker for etymology, buckle in as we aid in your understanding of succor. This word comes from the Anglo-French noun sucor (or sucors), which essentially had the same meaning as our modern word. Sucor, in turn, comes from the Latin verb succurrere, meaning "to run to the rescue" or "to bring aid." Succurrere is itself a composite of the prefix sub- (meaning "from below") and the verb currere (meaning "to run"). English also has currere to thank for such words as [current](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/current), [currency](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/currency), [courier](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courier), and even [car](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/car).