deacon

American  

[dee-kuhn] / ˈdi kən /

noun

1. (in hierarchical churches) a member of the clerical order next below that of a priest.

2. (in other churches) an appointed or elected officer having variously defined duties.

3. (in Freemasonry) either of two officers in a masonic lodge.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to pack (vegetables or fruit) with only the finest pieces or the most attractive sides visible.

2. to falsify (something); doctor.

3. to castrate (a pig or other animal).

4. to read aloud (a line of a psalm, hymn, etc.) before singing it.

deacon British  

/ ˈdiːkən /

noun

1. (in the Roman Catholic and other episcopal churches) an ordained minister ranking immediately below a priest

2. (in Protestant churches) a lay official appointed or elected to assist the minister, esp in secular affairs

3. the president of an incorporated trade or body of craftsmen in a burgh

---

Other Word Forms

• deaconship noun
• underdeacon noun

Etymology

Origin of deacon

before 900; Middle English deken, Old English diacon < Late Latin diāconus < Greek diā́konos servant, minister, deacon, equivalent to diā- dia- + -konos service

Explanation

In many Christian faiths, a deacon is an assistant to the minister or priest. If you're a deacon in the Catholic church, you can perform marriage ceremonies and baptize babies. In some churches, deacons are ordained like ministers and have the religious authority to perform many of the same actions, from preaching to communion. Other faiths elect deacons from among the laypeople (in other words, these deacons aren't members of the clergy). Some religions don't allow women to be deacons, but in others everyone is eligible for this position. The Greek root of deacon is diakonos, "servant of the church."

Example Sentences

Parishioners proceed to the front of the church, where a priest or deacon marks a black cross on their foreheads.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

Scott Peyton served the same priest, Father Michael Guidry, as a deacon.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2024

In 2004, she began training in the priesthood and became a deacon three years later, followed by her ordination as a priest in 2007.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2024

Lauren P. McCombs, an Episcopal deacon and a leader for Faith in Action Bay Area, called the criminalization of homelessness “inhumane treatment of our unhoused neighbors.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2024

The puzzle was cleared up when a group of older church women took their deacon aside and delicately explained matters to him—naming French as the father.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson