dean

¹

[deen]

noun

1. Education.

   1. the head of a faculty, school, or administrative division in a university or college.

      the dean of admissions.

   2. an official in an American college or secondary school having charge of student personnel services, such as counseling or discipline.

      the dean of men.

   3. the official in charge of undergraduate students at an English university.

2. Ecclesiastical.

   1. the head of the chapter of a cathedral or a collegiate church.

   2. 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.

3. the senior member, in length of service, of any group, organization, profession, etc..

   the dean of lexicographers.

Dean

²

[deen]

noun

1. James (Byron), 1931–55, U.S. actor.

2. Jay Hanna Dizzy, 1911–74, U.S. baseball pitcher.

3. a male given name: from the Old English family name meaning “valley.”

dean

¹

/ diːn /

noun

1. the chief administrative official of a college or university faculty

2. (at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a college fellow with responsibility for undergraduate discipline

3. Church of England the head of a chapter of canons and administrator of a cathedral or collegiate church

4. RC Church the cardinal bishop senior by consecration and head of the college of cardinals See also rural dean

Dean

²

/ diːn /

noun

1. Christopher. See Torvill and Dean

2. 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

Dean

³

/ diːn /

noun

1. a forest in W England, in Gloucestershire, between the Rivers Severn and Wye: formerly a royal hunting ground

Other Word Forms

• deanship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dean¹

1300–50; Middle English deen < Anglo-French deen, dean, Old French deien < Late Latin decānus chief of ten, equivalent to Latin dec ( em ) ten + -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of dean¹

C14: from Old French deien, from Late Latin decānus one set over ten persons, from Latin decem ten

Example Sentences

Amelia Jones, vice dean of faculty and research at Roski School of Art & Design, said that “there can be no negotiation. They are playing by the fascist playbook.”

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s critical to supply the workforce to meet the need,” said Paul Creason, Long Beach City College dean of business, education and health sciences.

From Los Angeles Times

“Germany had to resort to guest worker programs when birth rates declined,” said Kevin Johnson, a former UC Davis law school dean.

From Los Angeles Times

But of course, being the loving, loyal, supportive wife she was, she went along with the plan, carving out a rewarding career herself as dean of students at Louisville High School in Woodland Hills.

From Los Angeles Times

An assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University, for example, was terminated by the university for what the school characterized as “callous” comments about the deceased right-wing activist.

From Salon

Related Words

• administrator 
• legislator 
• principal 
• professor 
• senior