Word of the Day
: December 12, 2023mentor
playWhat It Means
A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person.
// They regarded the professor not only as a mentor, but as a good friend as well.
mentor in Context
“The grant supports individuals who are pushing boundaries as founders, educators, and artists. Awardees are matched with creative industry mentors, who include the likes of stylist Zerina Akers, and Hanifa’s Anifa Mvuemba.” — Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 30 Oct. 2023
Did You Know?
Mentor is pretty ubiquitous in today’s world as a word for anyone who is a positive, guiding influence in another (usually younger) person's life, but no matter your age we’re here to guide you through the word's history. Mentor comes originally from ancient Greek literature: in Homer's epic The Odyssey, Odysseus is away from home fighting and journeying for 20 years. During that time, Telemachus, the son he left as a babe in arms, grows up under the supervision of Méntōr, an old and trusted friend. When the goddess Athena decides it is time to complete the education of young Telemachus, she visits him disguised as Méntōr and they set out together to learn about his father. A version of Méntōr (written as Mentor) later appeared as a major character in the Odyssey-inspired French novel Les aventures de Télémaque (1699) by François Fénelon, after which it became a generic noun for “trusted guide” in that language before being borrowed into English with the same meaning.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Test Your Vocabulary
What word, especially when capitalized, refers to any of a group of female and partly human creatures in Greek mythology that lured mariners (such as Odysseus) to destruction by their singing?
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