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

The company’s board of directors now uses a proprietary AI assistant, trained on internal data, to provide real-time advice — part of a broader push to deploy the technology across all aspects of its operations. —Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Bank of America’s virtual financial assistant, Erica, is at the forefront of the bank’s client-facing technology. —Charlotte Observer, 7 Nov. 2025

Prior to serving on the school board, Sain served in the Milwaukee Fire Department for 28 years, rising from firefighter to assistant chief. —Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Nursing assistants, some paid just $11 an hour, were offered a few extra dollars an hour to work upstairs, potentially putting their lives and their families at risk. —Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 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