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

Monica Nutti Blind, a deacon in the church who also is a member of the Sami people, said the church's architecture reminds her of the area's seasons. —Arkansas Online, 22 Aug. 2025

Thirty-two deacons from around the world were being ordained that day. —Kristine Tran, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025

The victims ranged in age from 32 to 86 and included a church deacon, the grocery store's security guard, a man shopping for a birthday cake and a grandmother of nine. —Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025

In the front row, a burly deacon flipped the pages of his worn King James version. —Joshua Sharpe august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 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