sidekick

thumb|Sancho Panza, a [[squire, can be regarded as a sidekick to Don Quixote in Cervantes' famed fictional work.]] A sidekick is a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany.

==Origins== The first recorded use of the term dates from 1896. It is believed to have originated in pickpocket slang of the late 19th century. The "kick" was the front pocket of a pair of trousers, believed to be the pocket safest from theft. Thus, by analogy, a "side-kick" was a person's closest companion.