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 mentorsVerb
The young intern was mentored by the country's top heart surgeon.
Our program focuses on mentoring teenagers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Among other contributions, the council helps administer health screenings and vaccinations, mentor youth in distressed communities and provide fresh produce to thousands of people.—Sabrina Bodon, Sacramento Bee, 30 May 2024 Born in Tokyo in 1960, Sanada found an early mentor in Sonny Chiba, the Japanese action star who started his own acting and martial arts school, Japan Action Club.—Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024
Verb
Upon learning of her interest in the fashion industry, Combs offered to mentor her, promising work opportunities.—Angie Orellana Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024 The school also is doing community outreach, helping to mentor potential future doctors about which classes to take in college and when to take the MCAT medical school entrance exam, and helping them with personal statements for medical school applications and interview skills.—Usha Lee McFarling, STAT, 16 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for mentor
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mentor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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.
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