docent

noun

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 Ronstadt’s father was a founding member and her mother was one of the original docents. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 2 Feb. 2024 Volunteer docents will lead tours of each location. Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2023 One of Webster’s duties as a docent was to manage the line and prevent people from touching the displays. Katie Knight, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 The docents never miss an opportunity to point out a spot where something of significance took place. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 Yick says the next goal is to recruit enough docents to allow the CHCP’s museum, housed in a replica of the Ng Shing Gung temple at San Jose’s History Park, to open to visitors every weekend. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2024 Eco Team docents will walk participants through worm bins, grey water systems, innovative compost projects, a tool lending library, a water-wise garden and simple DIY, climate-friendly solutions. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2024 Recently, the government pledged to renovate his house and hire a docent. Nina Strochlic, Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2023 Landmarks: One modern site popular with visitors is the Water Conservation Garden next to Cuyamaca College, where docents educate visitors on low-water-using landscaping. San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'docent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of docent was in 1880

Dictionary Entries Near docent

Cite this Entry

“Docent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/docent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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