sidekick

English

Etymology

From side +‎ kick, which in the late 19th and early 20th century was a slang term for the front side pocket of a pair of trousers, was known as the pocket safest from theft. Thus, by analogy, a "side-kick" was a person's closest companion.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsaɪdkɪk/

Noun

sidekick (plural sidekicks)

1. (informal) An assistant to another person, especially to a superior or more important person.
   • 2012 May 24, Nathan Rabin, “Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3”, in The Onion AV Club‎^[1]:

     In the abstract, Stuhlbarg’s twinkly-eyed sidekick suggests Joe Pesci in Lethal Weapon 2 by way of late-period Robin Williams with an alien twist, but Stuhlbarg makes a character that easily could have come across as precious into a surprisingly palatable, even charming man.

Antonyms

• mentor

Synonyms

• acolyte
• deuteragonist
• pupil
• wingman

Translations

assistant

• Finnish: apulainen (fi), avustaja (fi), salkunkantaja, apuri (fi), oppipoika (fi), (dialectal, very informal) sälli (fi)
• French: faire-valoir (fr) m, acolyte (fr) m or f
• German: Kumpan (de) m, Kumpanin f
• Greek: βοηθός (el) m or f (voïthós)
• Ido: adyunto (io)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: assistente (it) m, spalla (it) f
• Japanese: サイドキック (saidokikku)
• Portuguese: acólito (pt) m, companheiro (pt) m, parceiro (pt) m
• Russian: партнёр (ru) (partnjór), помо́щник (ru) (pomóščnik), това́рищ (ru) (továrišč)
• Spanish: compañero (es)