samaritan
B2Formal, literary, and journalistic. The term is used in everyday speech but often carries a slightly elevated or allusive tone.
Definition
Meaning
A person who selflessly helps others in distress, especially strangers, deriving from the biblical parable of the Good Samaritan.
1. A member of a small modern ethno-religious community, the Samaritans, from the region of Samaria. 2. (Historical) A member of an ancient Israelite people inhabiting Samaria. 3. (Capitalized) The name of various charitable organizations, notably those providing confidential emotional support (e.g., The Samaritans).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The modern charitable sense is overwhelmingly more common than the historical/ethnic sense. When used in the general sense, it is almost always preceded by 'good'. Its use implies a significant, often unsolicited, act of kindness, not just minor help.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in meaning. However, 'The Samaritans' (capitalized) is a highly prominent UK and Ireland-based charity; awareness of this specific organization is significantly higher in British English.
Connotations
In British English, 'Samaritan' may immediately evoke the mental health charity. In American English, the biblical/literal helper connotation is more primary.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British English due to the charity's prominence.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[a/the/possessive] + Samaritan + [verb e.g., came to the rescue][subject] + acted as a Samaritan[subject] + was helped by a SamaritanVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Good Samaritan”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) contexts metaphorically: 'The company played the Good Samaritan after the natural disaster.'
Academic
Common in religious studies, theology, ethics, and sociology papers discussing altruism, prosocial behavior, or biblical exegesis.
Everyday
Used to describe someone who stops to help a stranger, e.g., after a car breakdown or accident. 'A Good Samaritan found my lost wallet and returned it.'
Technical
In law, 'Good Samaritan laws' are statutes that protect from liability those who render reasonable aid to persons in imminent danger.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Not standard; extremely rare and non-lexicalised)
American English
- (Not standard; extremely rare and non-lexicalised)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no adverbial form exists)
American English
- (Not standard; no adverbial form exists)
adjective
British English
- The Samaritan community maintains ancient religious traditions.
- He was moved by a genuine Samaritan impulse.
American English
- They studied the Samaritan Pentateuch, a version of the Torah.
- Her actions were purely Samaritan in nature.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- A kind samaritan helped the old lady cross the street.
- After my car broke down, a good samaritan stopped and called a tow truck for me.
- The journalist's article praised the anonymous samaritan who had donated a kidney to a complete stranger.
- Modern Good Samaritan laws are designed to encourage bystander intervention by offering legal protection to those rendering emergency aid in good faith.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember: A Samaritan is SAving Many And Rescuing In Times of Acute Need.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPASSIONATE HELP IS A SACRED DUTY. THE HELPER IS A PARABOLIC/ARCHETYPAL FIGURE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'санитар' (sanitar) which means 'orderly' or 'medical assistant'. The correct translation is 'самаритянин' for the historical figure and 'добрый самаритянин' for the helper. The charitable organization 'Samaritans' is often translated as 'телефон доверия' (helpline).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrectly capitalizing 'good' when not starting a sentence (e.g., 'He was a Good samaritan').
- Using it for trivial help (e.g., 'My colleague was a real samaritan and lent me a pen.'). This weakens the term's core meaning.
- Misspelling as 'samaritan' without the initial capital when referring to the ancient people or modern community.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of a 'Good Samaritan' in modern usage?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring specifically to the biblical parable character, it is often capitalized ('the Good Samaritan'). When used generically for a helpful person, capitalization is less strict, though 'good' is typically not capitalized mid-sentence ('a good samaritan'). Style guides may vary.
The charity, founded in the UK in 1953, chose the name to evoke the biblical figure's qualities of confidential, non-judgmental listening and help for those in emotional distress, aligning with their suicide prevention mission.
Rarely. In very specific contexts, it might be used sarcastically to imply self-righteous or intrusive helping ('playing the samaritan'). However, its default connotation is strongly positive.
Yes, but it is less common. 'Samaritan' alone can be used, especially in more formal or literary contexts, and still carries the core meaning of a compassionate helper ('an anonymous samaritan'). In everyday speech, 'good samaritan' is the fixed, idiomatic phrase.