“Succor” came to English from Old French, which took inspiration from the Latin “succurrere,” meaning “run to the help of.” While the word can be used as a verb, it’s most often used as a noun, meaning “aid and support in times of hardship.” “Succor” is often confused with “sucker” in spoken conversation because they’re homophones — words that sound the same yet have different spellings and meanings. “Succorless” is sometimes used to describe someone or something “without assistance” or “helpless.”