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
dean
intransitive verb
Examples of dean in a Sentence
She's the dean of the university's business school.
the dean of liberal arts
Recent Examples on the Web
The Innovation Hub represents a profound shift in how the university prepares the next generation of engineers and computer scientists, said Sang June Oh, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
—
Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
Noelcius acknowledged that the issuance of the warrant did not follow normal procedures, which would involve an investigation and the participation of the dean of the courts.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
The message was sent from Pat Poitevien, vice president for campus life and student services, and Ethan Pollock, dean of the college.
—Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026
David Vanden Bout, dean of the College of Natural Science, said in an interview that his college will aim to add 50 faculty in five years while growing student opportunities for research and classes.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dean
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Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026
Noelcius acknowledged that the issuance of the warrant did not follow normal procedures, which would involve an investigation and the participation of the dean of the courts.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2026
The message was sent from Pat Poitevien, vice president for campus life and student services, and Ethan Pollock, dean of the college.
—Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 20 Feb. 2026
David Vanden Bout, dean of the College of Natural Science, said in an interview that his college will aim to add 50 faculty in five years while growing student opportunities for research and classes.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dean
Cite this Entry
“Dean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dean. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dean
noun1
: the head of the chapter of a cathedral church
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 or disciplining students
3
: the senior member of a group
the dean of the diplomatic corps
Biographical Definition
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