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

Condoleezza Rice remembers Cheney as mentor and patriot Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid tribute to Vice President Dick Cheney, calling him a mentor, friend, and tireless defender of the United States. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

Across the rest of his career, Young Bleed remained prolific, continuing to hop between labels while becoming a mentor to a new generation of hip-hop. —Walden Green, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2025

Verb

Earlier this year, the Scottish government awarded funding to GGI that will be used to mentor 25 young African climate leaders through a year-long fellowship program. —Erin McMullen, Time, 5 Nov. 2025

Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Nvidia will help train and mentor emerging deep tech startups in India as a founding member of a $2 billion investment alliance, deepening its presence in the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. —Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025

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