doyen

noun

doy·​en ˈdȯi-ən 

-ˌ(y)en;

ˈdwä-ˌyaⁿ(n) 

1

a

: the senior member of a body or group

b

: a person considered to be knowledgeable or uniquely skilled as a result of long experience in some field of endeavor

2

: the oldest example of a category

Did you know?

English picked up doyen from French in the 17th century. The French word in turn comes, via the Old French deien, from the Late Latin word decanus, which itself comes from the Greek dekanos, meaning "chief of ten." A doyen can be a leader of a group, such as a diplomatic corps. In this regard, the word has been used to refer to someone who is specifically or tacitly allowed to speak for that group. More broadly, a doyen refers to a highly skilled and respected veteran of a particular field. The feminine form of doyen is doyenne.

Synonyms

• old hand
• old-timer
• stager
• vet
• veteran
• warhorse

Examples of doyen in a Sentence

He is considered the doyen of political journalists.

considered the doyen of American art critics

Recent Examples on the Web

In another expansive move, The Mediapro Studio, the content arm of Grup Mediapro, has acquired Fresco Film, the doyen of Spanish production service companies. —John Hopewell, Variety, 26 July 2024

Biden’s fundraiser, hosted by fashion journalism doyen Wintour, cost $1,000 each for tickets. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 June 2024

Court filings have revealed that in 2017, business planners at ExxonMobil—the doyen of international oil and gas firms—were already assuming a tax on carbon dioxide emissions in the OECD countries of $60 per metric ton by 2030. —Andrew S. Erickson, Foreign Affairs, 13 Apr. 2021

One of them hurled a fish at the audience—Suzy Menkes, then the doyen of The Times, caught it in her lap. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French deien, from Late Latin decanus dean — more at dean

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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