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

And Maddy is an assistant at a talent-management company who sees opportunities in the growing market of OnlyFans starlets. —Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026

Goodall, who has produced and directed a string of shorts and was an assistant on Disney movies including Christopher Robin and Lady and the Tramp, is spearheading the company’s creative development. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026

Guests can opt for the Fairmont Gold hotel-within-a-hotel experience that provides access to a private entrance, personal assistant, complimentary shoeshine, as well as a lounge with breakfast, snacks, and evening canapés. —Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026

Similarly, Anthropic's AI assistant, called Claude, has a free version that can analyze text and images and write basic code. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 17 Apr. 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