doyen

1 a person with long experience in a specified area considered the doyen of American art critics Synonyms veteran, old hand, old-timer, stager, vet, warhorseRelated Words doyenne; adept, dab hand [chiefly British], expert, guru, hand, master, maven (also mavin), past master, pro, professionalNear Antonyms apprentice, cub; boot, novitiate; amateur, dilettante; learner, student, trainee; candidate, entrant, probationerAntonyms beginner, colt, fledgling, freshman, greenhorn, neophyte, newbie, newcomer, novice, recruit, rookie, tenderfoot, tyro

2 the senior member of a group he's the doyen of American museum directors, and his opinion has considerable weight Synonyms dean, elder, elder statesman, éminence grise, nestor, seniorRelated Words better, superior; old hand, old-timer, vet, veteranNear Antonyms doyenne; inferior, subordinate, underling; beginner, colt, fledgling, freshman, greenhorn, neophyte, newbie, newcomer, novice, recruit, rookie, tenderfoot, tyroAntonyms baby, junior