doyenne

noun

doy·​enne dȯi-ˈ(y)en  dwä-ˈyen 

: a woman who is a doyen

Examples of doyenne in a Sentence

the doyenne of the fashion industry

Recent Examples on the Web

The domestic doyenne has made headlines over the years, earning notoriety from her recipes, her legal battles, her unapologetic candor, her Instagram account and of course, her epic cover for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue in 2023. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

Whatever pleasure could be had in Nate’s comeuppance was undone by his humiliation dragging out for hours before being put out of his misery; Cassie’s next act as a hype-house doyenne is only handwaved at, and any responsibility for Nate’s unpaid debts handwaved entirely. — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026

Unlike Diller’s, hers was laid-back and authoritative, with echoes of Miranda Priestly (another stylish doyenne with a beleaguered protégée). — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 29 May 2026

The world may have been upended by the war and the ink has barely dried on the Treaty of Versailles, but the society doyennes are doing their darnedest to return to the rituals and rites that used to govern our days. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, feminine of doyen

First Known Use

circa 1897, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for doyenne

• doyen
• moyen
• iroquoian