doyenne
2
9.9
- noun
- /dɔɪˈɛn/
- Formal
:
doyenne
- As the doyenne of women's fashion, she influences trends across the globe.
- doyenne of fashion
In her days as reluctant Library of Congress doyenne.
- In her days as reluctant Library of Congress doyenne.
Examples
-
Beauty doyenne Este Lauder, whom Rhode disapprovingly quotes, once said, "There are no homely women, only careless women."
Academic text (2010) -
Call me as soon as you're finished," New York society doyenne Babe Paley asked her friend Slim Keith over the telephone when the November 1975 issue hit the stands.
Blog text (27) -
She is the doyenne of our Corn Bread Aristocracy.
Fiction book (2000) -
We see that Anne's mother is a beautiful, very proper (and very wealthy) doyenne of San Francisco's Chinese community.
Fiction book (1997) -
Mme. Casaubon, the doyenne of village moralists, foresaw disasters.
Fiction book (1993) -
Sitting in a chair on the client's side of Tully's desk is ABIGAIL CRAVEN, an arrogant, aristocratic-seeming 60ish doyenne.
Fiction book (1991) -
One of my friends in the group had spent the entire spring learning to do drawn work under the tutelage of our doyenne and was proud to exhibit her single, but exquisitely and intricately patterned napkin at the end of the season.
Academic text (1992) -
Moreover, in 1969, Bernice Sandier, whom Patai calls the doyenne of the Sexual Harassment Industry, began a series of sex discrimination complaints against colleges and universities when she was a doctoral student and part-time teacher at the University of Maryland.
Academic text (2000) -
The doyenne of classical music will be leading the orchestra for the evening concert.
-
Known as the doyenne of literature, her books have inspired generations of writers.
Synonyms
13
6.9
A woman given an official title for important public service
2
8.2
An older woman who is respected and important in a field or society
1
9.5
A person who is the most respected and experienced member of a group
A respected older woman in politics who people often ask for advice
How Respected
Surface Forms
Etymology
Doyenne comes from French, where doyen means 'senior' or a leading person. Think of the English word dean, the 'head' of a school faculty; a doyenne is a woman who is the most respected or experienced person in a group.