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assistant

assistant

38 3.5
A program that answers questions and does tasks for a person
  • noun
  • /əˈsɪstənt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asistente virtual
  • The digital assistant answered all my questions about the new software features.
  • digital assistant
  • personal digital assistant

So is Siri, so is Google Assistant, so is Alexa.

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Examples

  • With the help of my virtual assistant, I can complete tasks more efficiently throughout the day.

  • In fact, my assistant is calling the hotel as we speak - booking the presidential suite.

  • I will be your assistant for the next 30 days.

  • It's like the Google Assistant of your audio world.

  • Honey, the smart shopping assistant that saves you time and money.

  • As Joyce reached for the next report, her "new" personal digital assistant chimed.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Mashable, Google's AI assistant, can now make real phone calls.

  • Just tell Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri to play the Ramsey Show podcast.

  • I often rely on my assistant to help me manage my schedule and reminders.

Synonyms

agent
vsassistant
  • Specialized
14 6.6

A computer program that works on its own to do tasks for a user or system

is similar but focuses on direct help and answering user queries
copilot
vsassistant
  • Specialized
3 4.2

Software that helps a person by suggesting actions, creating content, and automating tasks

is broader and also answers questions and supplies general information
personal digital assistant
vsassistant
  • Archaic
2 4.7

A small handheld electronic device for keeping contacts, schedules, and notes

is software or online based and performs tasks rather than a handheld device
medical assistant
vsassistant
  • Specialized
3.4

A digital tool that helps doctors and nurses with records, patient triage, and scheduling

is narrower and limited to healthcare tasks rather than general user queries
legal assistant
vsassistant
  • Specialized
3.8

A computer program that helps lawyers draft and review legal documents

is domain specific focusing only on legal tasks not general help

Compounds

A teacher at a college or university who has a lower rank than an associate professor

4 2.7

A person who helps a dentist by preparing patients and cleaning dental tools

A person who helps doctors and nurses with patient care and office tasks

A small handheld electronic device for keeping contacts, schedules, and notes

A senior helper who leads other support staff and has extra responsibility

A person who helps lawyers with legal tasks but cannot practice law

1 1.2

A person who helps customers and sells things in a shop

A person who helps an actor with costumes and personal needs during a show

A person who helps the foreman by supervising workers

A person with a flag on the sideline who helps the referee call offside and out of play

legal assistant
  • Specialized
3.8

A computer program that helps lawyers draft and review legal documents

medical assistant
  • Specialized
3.4

A digital tool that helps doctors and nurses with records, patient triage, and scheduling

A person who does office tasks like filing and answering phones for managers

A person who helps waiters by setting tables, serving customers and clearing dishes

How Capable

assistant
  • Specialized
38 3.5
VA
3 5.1
chatbot
  • Texting
1 3.5
bot
  • Texting
79 3.9

Surface Forms

assistant singular
assistants plural

Morphology

assistant = assist (transparent) = assist + ant

Derived from 'assist' + '-ant'; the extension to software agents is a straightforward semantic broadening but stays transparent.

Etymology

Assistant for software follows the same idea from Latin assistere 'to stand by'. A digital assistant 'stands by' to do tasks and give information, so the word now fits both people and AI helpers.