deacon
Americannoun
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(in hierarchical churches) a member of the clerical order next below that of a priest.
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(in other churches) an appointed or elected officer having variously defined duties.
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(in Freemasonry) either of two officers in a masonic lodge.
verb (used with object)
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to pack (vegetables or fruit) with only the finest pieces or the most attractive sides visible.
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to falsify (something); doctor.
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to castrate (a pig or other animal).
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to read aloud (a line of a psalm, hymn, etc.) before singing it.
noun
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(in the Roman Catholic and other episcopal churches) an ordained minister ranking immediately below a priest
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(in Protestant churches) a lay official appointed or elected to assist the minister, esp in secular affairs
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the president of an incorporated trade or body of craftsmen in a burgh
Other Word Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing deacon
Simon Sort of Says
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Rosa Parks: My Story
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Roles across his long, busy career have included reverend, inspector, captain, sergeant, doctor, coach, sheriff, pastor, mayor, deacon and, notably, Adm.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2024
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
He was after all a Mason, an Elk, a naval dietician and the first Negro deacon in the Lutheran church.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
