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

Her assistant was walking around. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025

Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses, which have been a surprise hit, have a sprinkling of AI flavor with the inclusion of the company’s AI digital assistant. —Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025

Taylor’s assistant coaches at Stanford included Andy Thompson, who replaced Taylor as head coach at Sac State and led the Hornets to the FCS playoffs in 2023. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 5 Dec. 2025

Reid maintains close ties to the BYU community as both an alumnus and former graduate assistant. —MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 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