protégé |ˈprɒtɪʒeɪ| |-tɛʒeɪ| |ˈprəʊ-| (also protege) noun
a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person : he was an aide and protégé of the former Tennessee senator.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: French, literally ‘protected,’ past participle of protéger, from Latin protegere ‘cover in front’ (see protect ).