doyennoun [ C usually singular ]
uk/ˈdɔɪ.en//dwaɪˈen/us/ˈdɔɪ.en//dwaɪˈen/the oldest, most experienced, and often most respected person of all the people involved in a particular type of work
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Organizations - position & status
- a rung on/of the ladder idiom
- apparatchik
- associate
- back seat
- be a big fish in a small pond idiom
- betters 2
- brethren
- comrade
- elite
- entry-level
- equal
- fellow
- low-level
- position
- pretender
- role
- second class
- senior
- standing
- subordinate
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Experts and specialists
Important people and describing important people
Examples from literature
- Francis had now succeeded to Louis, Charles to both his grandfathers, and Henry at twenty-eight was the doyen of the princes of Europe.
- He was the doyen among the diplomats in Brussels, and a little indulgence was shown to him.