assistant

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose

   my invaluable assistant

2. 2
   adj

   Having a subordinate or auxiliary position.

   an assistant surgeon

3. 3
   adj

   Helping; lending aid or support; auxiliary.

   Genius and learning […] are mutually and greatly assistant to each other.

4. 4
   noun

   Someone who is present; a bystander, a witness.

   a woman of great authority, having first yeelded an accompt unto her Citizens, and shewed good reasons why she was resolved to end her life, earnestly entreated Pompey to be an assistant at her death, that so it might be esteemed more honourable[…].

5. 5
   adj

   of or relating to a person who is subordinate to another

6. 6
   noun

   A person who assists or helps someone else.

7. 7
   noun

   Sales assistant.

8. 8
   noun

   A software tool that provides assistance in some task, a wizard program.

Etymology

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.