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

The 64-year-old has worked behind the scenes in the television industry, including roles as a production assistant and camera operator. —Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 24 May 2025

The film’s assistant director, David Halls, secured a plea deal with prosecutors, pleading no contest to a misdemeanor count of negligent handling of a gun. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 May 2025

Why Now? Unlike chatbots or single-task assistants, AI agents are evolving to operate autonomously within complex environments. —Nikit Shah, USA Today, 24 May 2025

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia got into a tiff with Grok, the AI assistant and chatbot created by Elon Musk's xAI, after Grok questioned her faith. —Sonam Sheth, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 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