doyenne

Borrowed from French doyenne.

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• Rhymes: -ɛn

doyenne (plural doyennes)

1. A female doyen.
2. The senior or eldest female member of a group, especially one who is most or highly respected.

   Helen Thomas is frequently referred to as "the doyenne of the White House press corps".

3. A woman who is highly experienced and knowledgeable in a particular field, subject, or line of work; expert

• grande dame

From doyen +‎ -enne.

• IPA^(key): /dwa.jɛn/
• Rhymes: -ɛn

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doyenne f (plural doyennes)

1. the oldest woman

   Jeanne Calment, la doyenne de l'humanité.

2. a female dean at an educational establishment (Canada)

• doyen (the oldest man)

• Dictionary entry for "Doyenne"

• “doyenne”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.