docent

noun

do·​cent ˈdō-sᵊnt  dō(t)-ˈsent 

1

: a college or university teacher or lecturer

2

: a person who leads guided tours especially through a museum or art gallery

Did you know?

The title of docent is used in many countries for what Americans would call an associate professor—that is, a college or university teacher who has been given tenure but hasn't yet achieved the rank of full professor. But in the U.S. a docent is a guide who works at a museum, a historical site, or even a zoo or a park. Docents are usually volunteers, and their services are often free of charge.

Examples of docent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As Iñárritu tours the house like an excited docent, characters enter and exit like old-fashioned movie clowns. — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Chng has been a longtime volunteer docent at two local museums, and is studying for a PhD in history at the National Museum of Singapore. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Chng is pursuing a PhD in history at the National University of Singapore and volunteers as a docent with the Asian Civilisations Museum. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026

They’re protected from sharks by all the kelp growth in that spot, explained a volunteer docent who also shared that the beach’s live cam gets rather steamy in January. — David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

obsolete German (now Dozent), from Latin docent-, docens, present participle of docēre — see docile

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1