mentor

play

noun men·tor \ ˈmen-ˌtȯr , -tər \

Definition of mentor

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

2 a :a trusted counselor or guide

a mentor who, because he is detached and disinterested, can hold up a mirror to us
—P. W. Keve

b :tutor, coach

The student sought a mentor in chemistry.

—

mentorship

play \-ˌship\ noun

See mentor defined for English-language learners

See mentor defined for kids

mentor was our Word of the Day on 01/19/2013. Hear the podcast!

Examples of mentor in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of mentor from the Web

In the meantime, Flynn persuaded the conservative Bradley Foundation to hire one of his mentors to evaluate the department's actions in the wake of the shooting.

— jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017
Howard students are not simply academically advanced, political activists, leaders, and mentors.

— paula rogo, Essence.com, "Two White Women Showed Up At Howard University Wearing ‘Make America Great Again’ Caps," 21 Aug. 2017
The win came a week after Staninger's high school coach and mentor, Claude Jackson, died.

— johnny gorches, Post-Tribune, "Bowling notes: Highland graduate Matt Staninger wins PBA Regional," 20 Aug. 2017
When the season ends, so will Arroyo’s role as tag-along mentor.

— zach buchanan, Cincinnati.com, "Bronson Arroyo is helping out, but preparing for the end," 3 Aug. 2017
Nicholas Hoult (with a fairly convincing accent) plays the controversial literary icon, and Kevin Spacey portrays his mentor Whit Burnett.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Catcher in the Rye," 24 July 2017
The rest mentor pupils in character traits such as curiosity and self-awareness.

— The Economist, "EdtechTechnology is transforming what happens when a child goes to school," 22 July 2017
Getty I am saddened and shocked to learn today of the sudden and accidental death of Évelyne Prouvost, an icon in our industry, the founder of the modern-day Marie Claire, and a great friend and mentor of mine.

— anne fulenwider, Marie Claire, "A Tribute to Marie Claire Founder Évelyne Prouvost, Who Has Passed Away at Age 78," 20 July 2017
Initial friendliness typically encourages the victim to let down their guard and think of the perpetrator as a mentor, benefactor, romantic interest, or friend.

— emma sarran webster, Allure, "What Is Sexual Grooming? 7 Things to Know About This Abuse Tactic," 19 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mentor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

We acquired "mentor" from the literature of ancient Greece. In Homer's epic The Odyssey, Odysseus was away from home fighting and journeying for 20 years. During that time, Telemachus, the son he left as a babe in arms, grew up under the supervision of Mentor, an old and trusted friend. When the goddess Athena decided it was time to complete the education of young Telemachus, she visited him disguised as Mentor and they set out together to learn about his father. Today, we use the word mentor for anyone who is a positive, guiding influence in another (usually younger) person's life.

Origin and Etymology of mentor

Latin, from Greek Mentōr

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1616

See Words from the same year

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

mentor

verb

Definition of mentor

transitive verb

:to serve as a mentor for :tutor

See mentor defined for English-language learners

Examples of mentor in a Sentence

The young intern was mentored by the country's top heart surgeon.
Our program focuses on mentoring teenagers.

Recent Examples of mentor from the Web

Lawson has also mentored hundreds of pastors through a 24-month, on-site training process called 24 to Double.

— greg garrison | ggarrison@al.com, AL.com, "Who are the pastors of Alabama's largest churches?," 29 Aug. 2017
In my experience, the alt-weekly world famously recruited and mentored scrappy people like me, or like, say, David Carr, and there are few mechanisms left that are predisposed to bring that class of people into this world.

— luke o'neil, Esquire, "Generations of Village Voice Writers Reflect on the Paper Leaving the Honor Boxes," 23 Aug. 2017
Throughout the competition, the contestants are partnered with a teammate of the opposite craft to achieve the best possible look — and will be mentored by one of the biggest makeup artists in the game, Sir John.

— rachel jacoby zoldan, Teen Vogue, "New Reality Show American Beauty Star Features Best Hair and Makeup Artists," 14 Aug. 2017
Ashe compares the program to a social network: Students use an app to pick a track, such as academic success or college prep, and that shapes how they’ll be mentored.

— elisha brown, The Atlantic, "How to Mentor From Miles Away," 7 Aug. 2017
That earnest approach to advising and mentoring impressed the Schreibers, who are donating $6 million.

— dawn rhodes, chicagotribune.com, "Loyola program opens college doors for vulnerable students," 6 Aug. 2017
That gives them more time to spend on projects, which take up half of the school day, and to be mentored by teachers.

— The Economist, "EdtechTechnology is transforming what happens when a child goes to school," 22 July 2017
And, while the bosses at Scarlet magazine are good-hearted and faithfully mentor their assistants, is that really an accurate, across-the-board representation of reality?

— clio chang, New Republic, "The Sex and the City of the Trump Era?," 19 July 2017
McDonough sees the PTSA as a parent advocacy group, but also an opportunity for students to plan fundraising and social events, be mentored and volunteer.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "New group gives voice to special needs students," 27 June 2017