View synonyms for doyen

doyen

[ doi-en, doi-uhn; French dwa-yan ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural doy·ens [doi-, enz, doi, -enz, dw, a, -, yan].

the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.

doyen

/ dway; dɔɪˈɛn; ˈdɔɪən; dwajɛn /

Origin of doyen¹

1665–75; < French; Old French deien < Latin decānus dean

Origin of doyen¹

C17: from French, from Late Latin decānus leader of a group of ten; see dean

It is therefore the doyen par excellence, and its rules and orders as carried out in its early days are original and entertaining.

The senior member or doyen of a society is often called the father.

François Verbeek became master workman in 1531, and finally doyen of the craft.

There were many duties that fell to the village elder (doyen), especially in troubled times.

And he held out the fish and Kenneth found himself face to face with the Doyen Carp.

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