/ əˈsɪstənt; NAmE / noun , adjective
■ noun
1.
a person who helps or supports sb, usually in their job :
My assistant will now demonstrate the machine in action.
a senior research assistant
—see also PDA , personal assistant , teaching assistant
2.
( BrE ) = shop assistant :
a sales assistant in a department store
3.
( BrE ) a student at university or college who spends time in a foreign country teaching his or her own language in a school
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] ( abbr. Asst ) (often in titles) having a rank below a senior person and helping them in their work :
the assistant manager
Assistant Chief Constable Owen
Assistant Attorney General William Weld
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French , or from medieval Latin assistent- taking one's stand beside, from the verb assistere , from ad- to, at + sistere take one's stand.