docent

noun

do·​cent ˈdō-sᵊnt  dō(t)-ˈsent 

1

: a college or university teacher or lecturer

2

: a person who leads guided tours especially through a museum or art gallery

Did you know?

The title of docent is used in many countries for what Americans would call an associate professor—that is, a college or university teacher who has been given tenure but hasn't yet achieved the rank of full professor. But in the U.S. a docent is a guide who works at a museum, a historical site, or even a zoo or a park. Docents are usually volunteers, and their services are often free of charge.

Examples of docent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Veteran’s Memorial wall, which honors the service of all Solana Beach Veterans of Foreign Wars, was available for viewing, and docents from the Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society conducted tours of the Historical Museum. —Del Mar Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026

Tours are docent-led and by advance reservation only, so don’t wander in. —David Hochman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026

Look for the docents in Alder Canyon or the meeting room to hear a story read out loud. —Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 20 May 2026

She’s taken photography classes in the area, trained as a docent at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and exhibited her work in Tinley Park, Chicago and Lockport. —Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete German (now Dozent), from Latin docent-, docens, present participle of docēre — see docile

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1