doyenne
Americannoun
-
doyennes
plural
Gender
See -enne.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of doyenne
1900–05; < French, feminine of doyen doyen
Explanation
Are you a phenomenal baker, famous for your delicious homemade treats? Then you can call yourself the doyenne of cupcakes. A doyenne is an undisputed expert at something. Since 1905, doyenne has been used to mean "leading or senior woman in a group or society," from the French doyen, "senior member." While you can refer to any elder as a doyenne (like the leader of your Girl Scout troop), these days it's most commonly used for someone who's considered one of the most respected in a field. Oprah Winfrey has been called the doyenne of daytime TV more than once in her life.
Vocabulary lists containing doyenne
English Words Derived from French, List 11
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Shares in Parisian handbag doyenne Hermes fell sharply last week after it booked a sales drop the company blamed partly on fewer Middle Eastern travelers splurging in its European boutiques.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026
Many of them were barely in school when the doyenne of Paris fashion took over menswear at Hermes in 1988 with instructions from then company boss Jean-Louis Dumas to run it "like your small company".
From Barron's ● Jan. 24, 2026
I’m not a hate-watcher of the show or its star — I, too, wish to moonlight as a domestic doyenne.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
And there will be several books too, one of them co-authored by Helen Garner, a doyenne of modern Australian literature.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2025
The doyenne stood by the door which led into the Throne Room through which she was to enter.
From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by L. de (Lillie de) Hegermann-Lindencrone
But like those doyennes of yore, she is kind of fabulous.
From New York Times ● Jul. 20, 2022
Expect all the Fellowes tropes — sharp-tongued society doyennes, squandered family fortunes, nouveau-riche strivers — delivered with an American accent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 3, 2022
Radziwill’s world was inhabited by doyennes of high society, artistic celebrities, fashion moguls and wealthy, prominent husbands - including one whose royal status made her a real-life princess.
From Reuters ● Feb. 16, 2019
And it watched its customers transform from rich wives and social doyennes into career women, bosses and power brokers.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 9, 2016
The dachshund's supporters seem similarly eager to dispel the notion that the low-slung dogs are merely accessories of Park Avenue doyennes.
From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2012
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
