assistant

noun

as·​sis·​tant ə-ˈsi-stənt 

1

: a person who assists someone : helper

also : a person holding an assistantship

2

: a device or product that provides assistance

software assistants

personal digital assistant

see pda entry 1

assistant adjective

Synonyms

• adjunct
• adjutant
• aid
• aide
• apprentice
• coadjutor
• deputy
• helper
• helpmate
• helpmeet
• lieutenant
• mate
• sidekick

Examples of assistant in a Sentence

an assistant to the college president

an assistant to the store manager

a wealthy executive who has a personal assistant

Recent Examples on the Web

Each agent, from autonomous drones delivering packages to personal AI assistants managing healthcare schedules, informs and learns from the collective ecosystem. —Cathy Hackl, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

In November 2023 riots broke out in Dublin when an Algerian national was arrested after allegedly stabbing and injuring three young children and a care assistant. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025

The cases stem from allegations made against the Atomic Blonde executive producer back in late 2017, with at least one of them involving a former assistant to Guillod. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2025

Roku pairs with all popular voice assistants, including Siri, Alexa and Google. —Christopher Murray, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English assistent, borrowed from Anglo-French assistant, assistent, noun derivative of assistant, assistent, adjective, "assisting, helpful," from present participle of assister "to help, aid" — more at assist entry 1

Note: In the case of both this word and assistance Modern English has chosen the French form with -a- in the suffix rather than Latin -e-.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing assistant

• assistant professor
• personal digital assistant
• physician assistant
• physician's assistant
• sales assistant
• teaching assistant

Rhymes for assistant

• consistent
• existent
• insistent
• persistent
• resistant
• subsistent
• coexistent
• equidistant
• inconsistent
• nonexistent
• preexistent
• distant

Kids Definition

assistant

noun

as·​sis·​tant ə-ˈsis-tənt 

: a person who assists another : helper

assistant adjective