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

assistant adjective

Synonyms of assistant

• aide
• apprentice
• deputy
• aid
• adjutant
• 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

But the Opera House manager or assistant manager was one of our old Berkeley buddies. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026

Harp, the president's executive assistant, makes $150,000 annually, according to the White House. — Nicholas Kerr, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Apple Ternus and other employees announced the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which include incremental changes to the product lines like new colors and a new ability to customize the voice of its Siri artificial intelligence assistant. — David Ingram, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026

Michigan’s equipment truck arriving in Salt Lake City to haul the belongings of Whittingham’s assistant coaches underscored just how much Whittingham was taking with him. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

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