docent

noun

do·​cent ˈdō-sᵊnt  dō(t)-ˈsent 

1

: a college or university teacher or lecturer

2

: a person who leads guided tours especially through a museum or art gallery

Did you know?

The title of docent is used in many countries for what Americans would call an associate professor—that is, a college or university teacher who has been given tenure but hasn't yet achieved the rank of full professor. But in the U.S. a docent is a guide who works at a museum, a historical site, or even a zoo or a park. Docents are usually volunteers, and their services are often free of charge.

Examples of docent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Public tours of the property were halted, owing to all the construction, but, before that, docents had noticed the President walking the grounds and slipping notes to gardeners and landscapers. — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Evolving funding plans Residents, local leaders and volunteer docents have described Independence’s historic homes, particularly the Vaile and Bingham-Waggoner, as the centerpiece of the city’s tourism industry. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

Abernathy Greenway Park walk with Trees Atlanta Take a walk through the park with a Trees Atlanta docent, who will teach simple tricks for telling trees apart and share stories about why trees are important and how to protect them. — Mary Caldwell, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026

The speakers include Bob Rabourne, Camp Pendleton Historical Society docent; Garry Garretson, president of the Veterans’ Writing Group of San Diego County; and Gary Micheloni, an audiobook narrator. — Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete German (now Dozent), from Latin docent-, docens, present participle of docēre — see docile

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1