Nestor

noun

Nes·​tor ˈne-stər 

-ˌstȯr

1

: a king of Pylos who serves in his old age as a counselor to the Greeks at Troy

2

often not capitalized : one who is a patriarch or leader in a field

Did you know?

Nestor was another character from the Iliad, the eldest of the Greek leaders in the Trojan War. A great warrior as a young man, he was now noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged. These days, a nestor is not necessarily long-winded, but merely wise and generous with his advice.

Synonyms

• dean
• doyen
• elder
• elder statesman
• éminence grise
• senior

Examples of Nestor in a Sentence

as the grizzled nestor of American film critics, he greatly influences what other reviewers write

Recent Examples on the Web

Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium, with the implications for the season on the line. —Ray Long, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Also on Monday, Nestor Padilla, 48, was fatally stabbed in the Bronx in front of a building near Marion Ave. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 21 Nov. 2024

The Yankees' current rotation mix includes Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil and Nestor Cortes. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024

Without those misplays, runners are likely stranded on base, and Aaron Boone never makes the controversial decision to go with Nestor Cortes instead of Tim Hill. —Ryan Morik, Fox News, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Nestōr

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1