Common definitions of Mentor include:
A wise professional guide -- usually someone older and more experienced in a particular field -- whose coaching is an altruistic endeavor and an important asset in a career path.
A personal life counselor, often through an organization such as the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program, who has a positive impact on an at-risk child's development.
A character in Homer's The Odyssey, who teaches the son of King Odysseus.
A comic book character in such publications as War of Kings and Imperial Guard, a member of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard who is super-intelligent and processes information at an extremely fast speed.
The name of several U.S. towns, including Mentor, Ohio.
MENTOR is a national mentoring partnership program that provides mentors to children who lack the support of adults and access to the economic system.
Related Mentor Resources
About.com Ancient/classical History: Major Figures in the Second Book of the Odyssey [1]
About.com Career Planning: Why You Should Have a Mentor [2]
About.com Management: Mentors and Mentoring: What is a Mentor? [3]
City of Mentor, Ohio: Official Site [4]
Comic Vine: Mentor (Comic Book Character) [5]
MENTOR: Organization [6]