ausiliario

Ausiliario is an Italian noun and adjective meaning "auxiliary" or "one who provides help." It derives from ausilio, aid or assistance, and is used to indicate a person or thing that supports a primary activity or function.

In contemporary usage, ausiliario commonly designates support staff across various institutions. In schools, for example, gli ausiliari scolastici are personnel who assist with maintenance, cleaning, reception, and other non-teaching tasks. In healthcare facilities, the term can refer to support workers who assist with routine services and logistics. In public administration and service sectors, “personale ausiliario” broadly covers workers who provide ancillary services that enable core operations, such as custodial, maintenance, or administrative support.

In ecclesiastical contexts, ausiliario describes someone assigned to aid a higher authority. For instance, a vescovo ausiliare is an auxiliary bishop who assists the diocesan bishop, while a sacerdote ausiliare or sacerdotal ausiliario can refer to a priest providing support within a parish or diocese.

The word is used across Italian, often as a formal designation in official documents and organizational charts, emphasizing the supportive role rather than primary responsibility. While synonyms like assistente or supporto are common in everyday speech, ausiliario carries a specific connotation of sanctioned, functional aid within a structured institution.