deacon

noun

dea·​con ˈdē-kən How to pronounce deacon (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That desire led him to the seminary in 1982, and, three years later, he was ordained as a deacon and priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. Melanie Stetson Freeman, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jan. 2025 By the seventh century, deacons from seven of the oldest and most important churches of Rome served as special advisers to the popes. Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2025 Francis has upheld the ban on female priests and tamped down hopes that women could be ordained as deacons. Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025 Jimmy was dedicated to his faith from an early age, even more so than his father, who was a deacon and a Sunday school teacher at Plains Baptist Church. Bill Marsh, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deacon 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of deacon was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near deacon

Cite this Entry

“Deacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deacon. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

deacon

noun
dea·​con ˈdē-kən How to pronounce deacon (audio)
1
: a member of the Christian clergy next below a priest
2
: a church member in various Christian churches who has special duties

More from Merriam-Webster on deacon

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