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doyen

[ doi-en, doi-uhn; French dwa-yan ]
/ dɔɪˈɛn, ˈdɔɪ ən; French dwaˈyɛ̃ /
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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.
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Origin of doyen

1665–75; <French; Old French deien<Latin decānusdean
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use doyen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for doyen

doyen
/ (ˈdɔɪən, French dway) /

noun
the senior member of a group, profession, or society

Derived forms of doyen

doyenne (dɔɪˈɛn, French dwajɛn), fem n

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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