‖ doyen
(dwajɛ̃)
Also 5 doien.
[F. doyen:—L. decān-us dean. In sense 1 from OF.; in sense 2 anew from mod.French.]
† 1. A leader or commander of ten. Obs.
1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. (E.E.T.S.) 214 Euery ledere [had] ten doiens, and..euery doiens ten men. |
2. The senior member of a body. = dean1 10. Cf. doyenne2.
1670 Cotton Espernon ii. v. 242 This was he..that was afterwards Doyen to the Council of State. 1883 Pall Mall G. 12 Nov. 3/2 A member of the Royal Danish Academy of Arts, of which he died the doyen. 1886 Ibid. 23 Sept. 3 The doyen of the Russian press. |