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

In February, state troopers violently broke up a march for suffrage, resulting in the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a church deacon protecting his family. —Time, 12 Sep. 2025

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

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