What does "assistant" mean?

1. (a helper) a person who helps someone else do their job or a specific task. 2. (a shop worker) a person who works in a shop and helps customers. 3. (software tool) a computer program or app that helps you do something. 4. (subordinate role) used to describe a person who is a helper or has a lower rank.

How do you use "assistant"?

Often used with a job title, such as 'teaching assistant' or 'personal assistant'. Almost always used as an attributive adjective before a noun.

assistant

n. · adj.

US //əˈsɪstənt// UK //ɐsˈɪstənt// as·sis·tant

1 a helper (n.)
A2 Elementary

a person who helps someone else do their job or a specific task.

a person who assists another in a subordinate or auxiliary capacity.

Example

The professor asked her research assistant to help organize the data.

Example

The executive assistant manages the CEO's complex schedule and ensures all briefing documents are prepared before the morning meetings.

Usage

Often used with a job title, such as 'teaching assistant' or 'personal assistant'.
2 a shop worker (n.)
A2 Elementary British English

a person who works in a shop and helps customers.

a person employed to serve customers in a retail environment.

Example

I asked the shop assistant if they had the shirt in a larger size.

Example

The sales assistant was highly commended for providing exceptional service to several demanding customers during the holiday rush.

Teacher's tip

In American English, 'sales clerk' or 'sales associate' is more common than 'shop assistant'.
- clerk
- salesperson
- customer
- shopper

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3 software tool (n.)
B1 Intermediate Computing

a computer program or app that helps you do something.

a software feature or standalone program designed to guide a user through a task or automate simple functions.

Example

You can use the setup assistant to connect your new phone to the internet.

Example

The digital assistant uses voice recognition to help users manage their daily tasks and control smart home devices.
- wizard
- bot
4 subordinate role (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

used to describe a person who is a helper or has a lower rank.

acting in a subordinate or auxiliary capacity; typically used in job titles.

Example

He was promoted to assistant manager after working there for two years.

Example

The assistant director took over the production while the lead director was away on medical leave.

Usage

Almost always used as an attributive adjective before a noun.

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti Proto-Italic *sistō Latin sistō Latin assistōbor. Middle French assister Proto-Indo-European *-onts Latin -ns Latin -āns Old French -ant Middle French -ant Middle French assistantbor. Middle English assistent English assistant From Middle English assistent, from Middle French assistant, from assister. By surface analysis, assist + -ant.