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Auxiliary vs Assistant - What's the difference?

auxiliary | assistant |

As adjectives the difference between auxiliary and assistant

is that auxiliary is helping; giving assistance or support while assistant is having a subordinate or auxiliary position.

As nouns the difference between auxiliary and assistant

is that auxiliary is a person or group that acts in an auxiliary manner while assistant is someone who is present; a bystander, a witness.

auxiliary

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Helping]]; [[give, giving assistance or support.
    • auxiliary troops
  • Supplementary or subsidiary.
  • Held in reserve for exceptional circumstances.
  • (nautical) Of a ship, having both sails and an engine.
  • (grammar) Relating to an auxiliary verb.

    • Synonyms

    * (supplementary) accessory * (having sails and engine) motorsailer

    Noun

    (auxiliaries)
  • A person or group that acts in an auxiliary manner.
  • A sailing vessel equipped with an engine.
  • (grammar) An auxiliary verb.
  • *
    • The three traditionally recognized Non-modal Auxiliaries' are the per-
    fective '''Auxiliary''' ''have'', the progressive '''Auxiliary''' ''be'', and the passive '''Auxiliary
    ''be''. Perfective ''have'' is so-called because it marks the completion (hence, ''perfec-
    tion'') of an action; it is followed by a VP headed by a perfective ''-n'' participle, as
    in:
    (121)    The referee has [VP ''shown     him the red card]
  • A marching band colorguard.

    • Related terms

    * auction * auctioneer * augment * augmentation

    See also

    * axillary

    External links

    * *

    assistant

    English

    Alternative forms

    * assistaunt (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (-) (attributive)
  • Having a subordinate or auxiliary position.
    • an assistant surgeon
  • Helping; lending aid or support; auxiliary.
  • * Beattie
    • Genius and learning are mutually and greatly assistant to each other.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Someone who is present; a bystander, a witness.
  • *, II.3:
    • 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.
  • A person who assists or helps someone else.
  • (British) Sales assistant.
  • A software tool that provides assistance in some task.

    • Related terms

    * assist * assistance

    Anagrams

    * ----