mentor

1 of 2

noun

men·​tor ˈmen-ˌtȯr 

-tər

1

a

: a person who gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person especially in a professional or academic context

… a good mentor can model for you the things you need to do to learn and grow, what battles to fight, what steps to be taken …

—Judy Rosemarin

Business partners typically provide mentors, on-the-job training, and summer … work experiences in industry.

—Lynn Olson

b

old-fashioned : a teacher, tutor, or coach

The student sought a mentor in chemistry.

2

Mentor : a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus

mentor

2 of 2

verb

mentored; mentoring; mentors

transitive verb

: to teach or give advice or guidance to (someone less experienced) : to act as a mentor for

When I was a young library director … older and wiser library administrators quickly mentored me on the dynamics of the director-board relationship.

—Will Manley

mentoring noun

new employees in need of mentoring

Synonyms of mentor

Verb

• guide
• coach

Examples of mentor in a Sentence

Noun

After college, her professor became her close friend and mentor.

He needed a mentor to teach him about the world of politics.

We volunteer as mentors to disadvantaged children.

young boys in need of mentors

Verb

The young intern was mentored by the country's top heart surgeon.

Our program focuses on mentoring teenagers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Seventy-one percent of fraternity men have a male mentor, compared to just 42% of non-affiliated men. —Anthony V. MacK, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026

During the program, each designer received $40,000 from Genesis, the automotive brand, to develop their collection, along with access to mentors and advisers across fashion, technology and business. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026

Verb

The nonprofit organization provides mentoring, financial literacy and mental health and wellness activities for young men ages 16 to 24. —Kamal Morgan february 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026

The advantage would be that Disney executives were already being mentored by Iger, and had extensive contact with the company’s 15 board members, of which Iger is a member. —Michelle Chapman, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

as name borrowed from Latin Mentōr, borrowed from Greek Méntōr; as generic noun borrowed from French mentor, after Mentor, character in the novel Les aventures de Télémaque (1699) by the French cleric and writer François Fénelon (1651-1715), based on characters in the Odyssey

Note: In Fénelon's work Mentor is a principal character, and his speeches and advice to Telemachus during their travels constitute much of the book's substance.

Verb

derivative of mentor entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mentor

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

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Kids Definition

mentor

1 of 2 noun

men·​tor ˈmen-ˌtȯ(ə)r 

ˈment-ər

: a wise and faithful adviser or teacher

mentor

2 of 2 verb

: to serve as a mentor for : tutor

a volunteer who mentors students

Geographical Definition

Mentor

geographical name

Men·​tor ˈmen-tər 

city in northeastern Ohio northeast of Cleveland population 47,159