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”; 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 receptors targeted by semaglutide are found in the brain but also in the gut, pancreas and other tissues," said assistant professor of pathology Katrin Svensson, PhD.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

Only about 20% of smartphone owners currently use an AI assistant.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

But soon, courses are likely to use a virtual assistant that takes in all your information—and your personal data—to both give you what you need.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

By then, Gates was working for the Department of Justice in Washington as a deputy assistant attorney general in the civil rights division, resigning after just 10 months because he said he missed home.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

After the doctor had settled himself down, he told his servants to untie Joao and the assistant.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

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