deacon

noun

dea·​con ˈdē-kən 

plural deacons

: a subordinate officer in a Christian church: such as

a

: a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest

b

: one of the laity 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

Synonyms

• clergyperson
• cleric
• clerical
• clerk
• divine
• dominie
• ecclesiastic
• minister
• preacher
• priest
• reverend

Examples of deacon in a Sentence

my cousin was married by his uncle, who is also a deacon in his church

Recent Examples on the Web

Dixon, an administrator with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and a deacon at Second Baptist Church, is seeking a third term. —Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025

Peter & Paul parishioners say are flatly false, including an unfounded claim that the deacon has a criminal record and was once sentenced to 30 days in jail. —Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025

Jackson was 26, a father, a veteran, and a deacon in his church. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025

This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood. —Nicole Winfield and Silvia Stellacci, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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 the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deacon

• deacon's bench

Rhymes for deacon

• beacon
• weaken
• archdeacon
• mohican

Kids Definition

deacon

noun

dea·​con ˈdē-kən 

1

: a member of the Christian clergy next below a priest

2

: a church member in various Christian churches who has special duties