dean
Education.
the head of a faculty, school, or administrative division in a university or college: the dean of admissions.
an official in an American college or secondary school having charge of student personnel services, such as counseling or discipline: the dean of men.
the official in charge of undergraduate students at an English university.
Ecclesiastical.
the head of the chapter of a cathedral or a collegiate church.
Also called vicar forane. a priest in the Roman Catholic Church appointed by a bishop to take care of the affairs of a division of a diocese.
the senior member, in length of service, of any group, organization, profession, etc.: the dean of lexicographers.
Origin of dean
1Other words from dean
- deanship, noun
Other definitions for Dean (2 of 2)
James (Byron), 1931–55, U.S. actor.
Jay Hanna "Dizzy", 1911–74, U.S. baseball pitcher.
a male given name: from the Old English family name meaning “valley.”
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use dean in a sentence
Would it really have hurt to talk to the resident deans one on one instead of secretly searching their emails?
Harvard Snooping on Employee Emails Without Asking Is No Shock | Aaron Mattis | March 12, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTDeans, test-givers, and students themselves routinely accept greater inequities.
Once a few deans began to aggressively game the ranking, it was inevitable that nearly all law schools would follow suit.
Law Schools Fudge Numbers, Disregard Ethics to Increase Their Ranking | Brian Z. Tamanaha | June 17, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTDeans says Bryson is a “giant” of the environmental movement.
Commerce Secretary on Leave After Mystery Crash | Aram Roston, Christine Pelisek | June 12, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTAt that time,” Deans says, “there really was no body of environmental law.
Commerce Secretary on Leave After Mystery Crash | Aram Roston, Christine Pelisek | June 12, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Deans long-harbored sense of injury against Lucy Warner took sudden flight.
Marjorie Dean College Freshman | Pauline LesterBishops and deans have done wonderful things of late years, but this particular forecast remains fortunately unfulfilled hitherto.
Mr. Punch's History of Modern England Vol. IV of IV. | Charles L. GravesIt is frequently an advantage for deans, school-masters, and worried fathers to place delinquents in the sitting-posture.
The Turmoil | Booth TarkingtonIt was indeed totally unintelligible to Jeanie Deans, who was only impatient to escape from him.
The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 2, Illustrated | Sir Walter ScottJeanie Deans had never read the fanciful and delightful parable to which Madge alluded.
The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 2, Illustrated | Sir Walter Scott
British Dictionary definitions for dean (1 of 3)
/ (diːn) /
the chief administrative official of a college or university faculty
(at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a college fellow with responsibility for undergraduate discipline
mainly Church of England the head of a chapter of canons and administrator of a cathedral or collegiate church
RC Church the cardinal bishop senior by consecration and head of the college of cardinals: See also rural dean Related adjective: decanal
Origin of dean
1Derived forms of dean
- deanship, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Dean (2 of 3)
/ (diːn) /
Forest of Dean a forest in W England, in Gloucestershire, between the Rivers Severn and Wye: formerly a royal hunting ground
British Dictionary definitions for Dean (3 of 3)
/ (diːn) /
Christopher. See Torvill and Dean
James (Byron). 1931–55, US film actor, who became a cult figure; his films include East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause (both 1955). He died in a car crash
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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