assistant

American  

[uh-sis-tuhnt] / əˈsɪs tənt /

noun

1. a person who assists or gives aid and support; helper.

2. a person who is subordinate to another in rank, function, etc.; one holding a secondary rank in an office or post.

   He was assistant to the office manager.

   Synonyms:

   adjutant, aide

3. something that aids and supplements another.

4. a faculty member of a college or university who ranks below an instructor and whose responsibilities usually include grading papers, supervising laboratories, and assisting in teaching.

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adjective

1. assisting; helpful.

2. serving in an immediately subordinate position; of secondary rank.

   an assistant coach.

assistant British  

/ əˈsɪstənt /

noun

1. 1. a person who assists, esp in a subordinate position

   2. ( as modifier )

      assistant manager

2. See shop assistant

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adjective

1. archaic helpful or useful as an aid

Other Word Forms

• nonassistant noun
• unassistant adjective

Etymology

Origin of assistant

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English assistent, from Latin assistent-, stem of assistēns “standing by,” present participle of assistere “to stand by, help”; see assist

Explanation

An assistant is someone that is there to help. If you work 80 hours a week, you might want to think about hiring a personal assistant to pick up your dry cleaning. The word assistant typically refers to someone who offers assistance. However, in certain professional situations, assistant can mean on a level below, as in "the Assistant District Attorney reports to the District Attorney." Not surprisingly, an assistant provides assistance. However, unlike a slave or an indentured servant, an assistant is paid for his work.

Example Sentences

The research team also included Matthew J. Baker, associate professor of linguistics at Brigham Young University, and Jordan Smith, assistant professor of English at the University of Northern Colorado.

From Science Daily • Apr. 19, 2026

Sure, it exaggerated our reality—no magazine assistant, even at Vogue, came to the office dressed in head-to-toe Chanel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

She already works full-time as a medical assistant.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

AALA’s tentative contract calls for raises of more than 11% for the LAUSD’s 3,000 principals, assistant principals and middle managers — a lower percentage increase than SEIU’s 24% and UTLA’s 14%.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

An assistant press secretary stuck his head into Lincoln’s office and said, “The astronaut is in the helicopter.”

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• aide
• apprentice
• associate
• attendant
• backup
• colleague
• companion
• deputy
• friend
• partner
• representative
• secretary