doyen

UK: /ˈdɔɪən/, /ˈdɔɪɛn/

US: /dɔɪˈɛn, ˈdɔɪən, dwɑˈjɛn/

US: (doi en′, doi′ən; Fr. dwa yan′)

Inflections of 'doyen' (n): npl: doyens

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

doy•en /dɔɪˈɛn, ˈdɔɪən, dwɑˈyɛn/   n. [countable] , pl. doy•ens 

/dɔɪˈɛnz, ˈdɔɪənz, dwɑˈyɛn/.  
1. the senior man, as in age or experience, of a group or profession:
   He was the doyen of the press corps in Moscow.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

doy•en  (doi en′, doi′ən; Fr. dwa yan′), n., pl. doy•ens 

(doi enz′, doi′enz; Fr. dwa yan′). 
1. the senior member, as in age, rank, or experience, of a group, class, profession, etc.

• Latin decānus dean¹
• French; Old French deien
• 1665–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

doyen / ˈdɔɪən dwayɛ̃/, (feminine)doyenne / dɔɪˈɛn dwajɛn/ noun

1. the senior member of a group, profession, or society

Etymology: 17th Century: from French, from Late Latin decānus leader of a group of ten; see dean