deacon

dea·con

noun \ˈdē-kən\

Definition of DEACON

: a subordinate officer in a Christian church: as a : a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest b : one of the laymen elected by a church with congregational polity to serve in worship, in pastoral care, and on administrative committees c : a Mormon in the lowest grade of the Aaronic priesthood

Examples of DEACON

1. <my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church>

Origin of DEACON

Middle English dekene, from Old English dēacon, from Late Latin diaconus, from Greek diakonos, literally, servant, from dia- + -konos (akin to enkonein to be active); perhaps akin to Latin conari to attempt

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to DEACON

Synonyms: cleric, clerical, clerk, clergyperson, divine, dominie, ecclesiastic, minister, preacher, priest, reverend

Antonyms: layman, layperson, secular

Related Words: churchman, clergyman, father, Holy Joe [slang], padre; clergywoman, deaconess, priestess; abbot, archbishop, archpriest, bishop, dean, diocesan, monsignor, pope, prelate, presbyter; abbé, curate, curé, parson, pastor, rector, shepherd, vicar; chaplain, confessor, sky pilot; evangelist, missionary, missioner, missionizer, revivalist; friar, mendicant, monastic, monk, oblate, religious; high priest, high priestess

Near Antonyms: lay reader, lector

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Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

Rhymes with DEACON

beacon, sleeken, weaken