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

Burke also reunited with Sun associate head coach Roneeka Hodges, who served as an assistant in Burke’s first season with the Liberty. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026

His girlfriend in stirrups, her assistant slicing the fruit with a scalpel instead of a chef’s knife. —Literary Hub, 8 May 2026

An assistant for Weiss did not return requests for comment sent Thursday. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 8 May 2026

But after Colorado scored three times on seven power-play opportunities while taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series with the Wild, Minnesota coach John Hynes and his assistants offered a notable amount of on-ice, penalty-kill instruction and advice on Friday. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 May 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