A surgeon's assistant is a physician or medical student who shares in the treatment and care of patients; a surgeon's attendant is one who rolls bandages and the like.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

associate When we say liberty, we associate it with Lincoln.
colleague Tom was a colleague of mine before they fired him.
helper It's always nice having a helper around the house.
accomplice Fadil didn't want to be an accomplice to the murder.
wizard So, was there a time when you were a wizard, too?
adjutant The general arrives without his adjutant.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
assistant		falling
associate		steady
colleague		steady
helper		steady
accomplice		steady
wizard		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: aid¹
4 letters: help¹
5 letters: aider
6 letters: second², wizard², helper²
7 letters: partner², adjunct², abettor, abetter
8 letters: adjutant³, adjuvant
9 letters: associate⁴, supporter³, colleague², auxiliary⁴, accessory⁴, attendant³, ancillary⁴, coadjutor
10 letters: subsidiary⁵, accomplice³
11 letters: subordinate⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (second² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: assistant
Català: assistent