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

• priest
• preacher
• bishop
• clergyman
• pastor

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

Equality for women Like his predecessor, Leo opposes the idea of ordaining female deacons. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 9 May 2025

But, also like Pope Francis, the Illinois native opposes ordaining women as deacons, for instance, so on that point he's seen as conservative on church doctrine. —Chris Livesay, CBS News, 7 May 2025

The split caused a rift among the deacons, with some, including Tim Emry, resigning. —Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 5 May 2025

Those in favor point to evidence for female deacons in scripture and their presence in the early church right up until the Middle Ages. Women deacons could also bolster the church’s presence in schools, hospitals and prisons, along with providing leaders for Catholic communities. —Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 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