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Mentor

1 American  
[men-ter] / ˈmɛn tər /

noun

  1. a town in NE Ohio.

Mentor 2 American  
[men-tawr, -ter] / ˈmɛn tɔr, -tər /

noun

  1. (in theOdyssey ) a loyal adviser of Odysseus entrusted with the care and education of Telemachus.

mentor 3 American  
[men-tawr, -ter] / ˈmɛn tɔr, -tər /

noun

  1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher.

    Synonyms:
    preceptor, guide, master, adviser

  2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter.

verb (used without object)

  1. to act as a mentor.

    She spent years mentoring to junior employees.

verb (used with object)

  1. to act as a mentor to.

    The brash young executive did not wish to be mentored by anyone.
mentor 1 British  
/ ˈmɛntɔː /

noun

  1. a wise or trusted adviser or guide

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to act as a mentor to (someone); train

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Mentor 2 British  
/ ˈmɛntɔː /

noun

  1. the friend whom Odysseus put in charge of his household when he left for Troy. He was the adviser of the young Telemachus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does mentor mean? A mentor is the main person you rely on to give you advice and guidance, especially in your career.Mentor can also be used as a verb meaning to act as a mentor, as in I mentor two of my students. If you have a mentor, you are the mentee.Example: It feels strange to me that I’m now more famous than my mentor—I wouldn’t be where I am without her.

Other Word Forms

  • mentorial adjective
  • mentorship noun

Etymology

Origin of mentor

First recorded in 1740–50; after Mentor (from Greek Méntōr )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Warren Buffett loved to quote his mentor Ben Graham, who once said External link: “In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run it is a weighing machine.”

From Barron's

Warren Buffett loved to quote his mentor Ben Graham, who once said External link: “In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run it is a weighing machine.”

From Barron's

Adams, a 12th-year pro, has been a mentor and “like a big brother to me,” Mumpfield said, adding that he tries to “take bits and pieces of his game and add to mine.”

From Los Angeles Times

How Alcaraz will evolve without his long-time mentor promises to be one of the most fascinating storylines of 2026.

From BBC

Mr Hern described him as a "mentor" with a "good sense of humour".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.