doyenne
Americannoun
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:
Instead, this triumph of a presentation comes courtesy of Yares Art, the gallery that now occupies an expanded space on Fifth Avenue once held by New York art doyenne Mary Boone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 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
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
Surely some people will recoil at my likening Meghan’s efforts to those of Queen Martha, doyenne of gracious living and doing everything yourself.
From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2025
In answer to my request for an audience I received a letter from the grande maîtresse, saying that the Queen would receive me on Thursday next; the doyenne of the Corps Diplomatique would present me.
From The Sunny Side of Diplomatic Life, 1875-1912 by Hegermann-Lindencrone, L. de (Lillie de)
If there were a shortcut, the school’s doyennes probably would’ve figured it out by now.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 20, 2022
These women were not winsome objects of fascination briefly capturing the popular imagination, but doyennes of resourcefulness and stamina.
From New York Times ● Jul. 26, 2022
At the Carlyle hotel, a pair of Upper East Side doyennes are discussing their country homes between mincing bites of their $30 salads.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2021
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
She describes high fashion, fast cars, caviar, big hair, and a gossip eco-system ruled by doyennes like Liz Smith and Cindy Adams.
From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2017
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.
