1. the senior or most respected member of a group
Usage: formal

Examples

• He was the doyen of American journalism, having covered politics for over forty years.
• As the doyen of the faculty, she was asked to speak at the retirement ceremony.
• The doyen of the diplomatic corps welcomed the new ambassador.
• She became the doyen of fashion critics after decades in the industry.
• The orchestra’s doyen had performed with the group for thirty years.
• As doyen of the legal profession in the city, his opinion carried great weight.