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.
Earlier in the year LaBeouf was confirmed into the Catholic Church with intentions of becoming a deacon. Arimeta Diop, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 Feulner came from a devout Roman Catholic family, while Weyrich himself was an ordained deacon of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Samantha Riedel, Them, 1 Nov. 2024 There was Ray, the crematorium’s successful owner; Clara, a demanding high-school English teacher; their daughter, who is not named in the series; and their son, Brent, a deacon in training who’d played football in high school and college. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024 Like many Black artists, going to church was routine for her family and played a significant role in her life, with her parents being a deacon and deaconess. Danielle Wright, Essence, 27 Sep. 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 23 Nov. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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