Meaning & use
samaritan
Last updated
a person who helps a stranger in trouble, especially selflessly and without expecting anything in return.
See it in a sentence
A good samaritan stopped to help change her flat tire in the pouring rain.
Passersby acted as samaritans, pulling the driver from the wreckage before the ambulance arrived.
A note on using this word
Lowercase 'samaritan' (usually in the phrase 'good Samaritan') comes from a biblical parable and refers generically to a helpful stranger; capitalized 'Samaritan' refers to a specific ethnic and religious community.
Words with a similar meaning
helperrescuer
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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