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

Fernandez earned his way back as a senior, then started coaching as a student assistant pursuing an associate’s degree at Miami-Dade College in the early 1990s, washing uniforms and sweeping floors and filling ball racks and taping ankles. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Utah has a new coach for the first time in more than 21 years, with longtime assistant Morgan Scalley taking over for Kyle Whittingham this offseason. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026

Pitt’s Cliff Booth plays a stunt double and DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton’s best friend, driver, and personal assistant. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026

At Sharma-Crawford’s office, his assistant posted three separate calendars to the office wall. — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 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