Skip to content
word of the day

The word for today is…

doyen (noun) – A man who is the eldest or senior member of a group.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : 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.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends.

Latest