Different Terms for Mentee

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Hello, this is Barbara from Del Mar, California in the San Diego area.

Yeah, what’s going on, Barbara?

Well, my question is, can you think of another word besides mentee for someone who is mentored?

And this came up because I’m active in women’s ministries at our church, and I’m involved in mentoring.

And I like the word mentor and the whole concept, but mentee bothers me.

And I don’t know if it’s just me, but it makes me think of manatee, that ugly animal in the ocean.

Right, you’re not that big, right?

And then I thought, oh, maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s just in the church circle they use that word.

But our daughter is doing an MD, PhD program in Houston, and she said in her circles, which would be academic and medical, they use mentee also.

So a friend of mine at church said she has heard mentoree being used, which I don’t think is going to catch on because it’s too long.

And too late.

Yeah. And I looked it up in Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, which is our newest.

And I learned that there was a person in Greek literature and mentor was a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus’s son named Telemachus.

Yep.

And so my husband, the scientist, the logical one, said that this is a false analogy, that we’re taking a noun, mentor, as if it’s advisor, and then we’re adding E-E to it.

Yep.

But the second definition in the dictionary was a trusted counselor or guide, a tutor or a coach.

And I also saw that the verb, the transitive verb, just came in in 1983.

So what ideas do you have?

Yeah, there are a few that come to mind immediately.

What about protege?

I was thinking of protege.

But I also tend to think that that’s in music or, you know, maybe in intellectual circles.

Okay.

And a protege to me has to be a star in the field, like with great talent.

But someone who’s mentored just has to be someone who wants to grow in some way.

So they’re not starting out with genius.

They’re working toward genius.

Well, what about, that’s well, you know, I keep, I go back to this, Martha.

I suggested this for the name of somebody that you babysit.

Oh, I heard that whole thing.

Yeah.

What was that?

What about a Padawan?

Do you watch the Star Wars movies?

No, I’m not into that.

And I will point out, mentoring in the church are not necessarily mentoring someone who is of a chronologically younger age.

It usually is.

But it has to do with spiritual maturity.

I know women in their 30s who are very spiritually mature, and they might, if it’s agreeable, take on a woman who’s 10 years older.

I see.

So the word sapling couldn’t be reported with this.

No, definitely not.

Well, you’re coming up with a lot of ideas.

I’m sorry I’m shooting everyone down, though.

That’s okay.

I’m used to it.

Oh, you’re used to it.

You’ve been talking to my wife.

Oh, no.

Oh, well, you know, I guess we’re going to have to turn on the sirens and turn on the flashing lights and see what our listeners can come up with.

Oh, that would be a good idea.

What is a better word for mentee?

That is, somebody who follows a mentor.

Give us a call, 1-877-929-9673.

Help Barbara out.

Oh, please.

Or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.

And I’ll stay tuned to hear what you find out.

All righty, Barbara.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you.

Thanks a lot.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.