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• mentor
  mentor

  noun

  a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.
• Mentor
  Mentor

  noun

  a town in NE Ohio.

mentor

¹ American  

[men-tawr, -ter] / ˈmɛn tɔr, -tər /

noun

1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.

   Synonyms:

   preceptor, guide, master, adviser

2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter.

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verb (used without object)

1. to act as a mentor.

   She spent years mentoring to junior employees.

verb (used with object)

1. to act as a mentor to.

   The brash young executive did not wish to be mentored by anyone.

Mentor ² American  

[men-ter] / ˈmɛn tər /

noun

1. a town in NE Ohio.

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Mentor ³ American  

[men-tawr, -ter] / ˈmɛn tɔr, -tər /

noun

1. (in theOdyssey ) a loyal adviser of Odysseus entrusted with the care and education of Telemachus.

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mentor ¹ British  

/ ˈmɛntɔː /

noun

1. a wise or trusted adviser or guide

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verb

1. to act as a mentor to (someone); train

Mentor ² British  

/ ˈmɛntɔː /

noun

1. the friend whom Odysseus put in charge of his household when he left for Troy. He was the adviser of the young Telemachus

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Usage

What does mentor mean? A mentor is the main person you rely on to give you advice and guidance, especially in your career. Mentor can also be used as a verb meaning to act as a mentor, as in I mentor two of my students. If you have a mentor, you are the mentee. Example: It feels strange to me that I’m now more famous than my mentor—I wouldn’t be where I am without her.

Other Word Forms

• mentorial
  adjective
• mentorship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of mentor

First recorded in 1740–50; after Mentor (from Greek Méntōr )

Explanation

A mentor is a person who trains and guides someone, like the second-grade English teacher who saw the spark of creativity in your writing and encouraged you to become a professional author. The original Mentor was a character in Homer's epic poem The Odyssey; Mentor looked after Odysseus's family, particularly his son Telemachus, while Odysseus was off fighting in the Trojan War. Today the word is used to describe any person who acts as an advisor or teacher. As a noun, mentor describes the coach who taught you to play baseball. As a verb, mentor is what the coach does to help you improve your swing.

Example Sentences

The dancer and choreographer was a virtuoso performer in his own right—and a valued mentor to others.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Best later became his mentor and a team-mate.

From BBC • May 19, 2026

Although he remains locked onto each pitch he can possibly watch from the Dodgers, he also wants to mentor the players in Oklahoma City.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

You are obviously a mentor to your daughter and even to your friends, and I have no doubt there are people you have learned from, too.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

The next morning he went to see the man he had long considered his mentor, Louis Austin.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• adviser
• coach
• guide
• instructor
• teacher
• trainer
• tutor