doyen
[ doi-en, doi-uh n; French dwa-yan ]
/ dɔɪˈɛn, ˈdɔɪ ən; French dwaˈyɛ̃ /
noun, plural doy·ens [doi-enz, doi-enz; French dwa-yan] /dɔɪˈɛnz, ˈdɔɪ ɛnz; French dwaˈyɛ̃/.
the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.
RELATED WORDS
head, ruler, chief, commander, director, manager, officer, connoisseur, guru, doctor, authority, genius, scientist, professional, artist, elder, pensioner, senior, professor, administrator
Nearby words
- doxology,
- doxorubicin,
- doxy,
- doxycycline,
- doy,
- doyenne,
- doyennes,
- doyens,
- doyle,
- doyle, sir arthur conan
Origin of doyen
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for doyen
doyen
/ (ˈdɔɪən, French dway) /
noun
the senior member of a group, profession, or society
Word Origin for doyen
C17: from French, from Late Latin decānus leader of a group of ten; see dean
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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doyen
early 15c., from Middle French doyen "commander of ten," from Old French deien (see dean).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper