Main Entry: dean

Pronunciation: \ˈdēn\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English deen, from Anglo-French deen, deien, from Late Latin decanus chief of ten, from Greek dekanos, from deka ten — more at ten

Date: 13th century

1 a : the head of the chapter of a collegiate or cathedral church b : a Roman Catholic priest who supervises one district of a diocese
2 a : the head of a division, faculty, college, or school of a university b : a college or secondary school administrator in charge of counseling and disciplining students
3 : doyen 1

— dean intransitive verb

— dean·ship \-ˌship\ noun