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.
Dixon, an administrator with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and a deacon at Second Baptist Church, is seeking a third term. Courier-News, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025 Peter & Paul parishioners say are flatly false, including an unfounded claim that the deacon has a criminal record and was once sentenced to 30 days in jail. Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025 Carter remained at Maranatha, noting that the congregation’s deacons were divided about evenly between the sexes. Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025 Reforms on the table include how to give greater roles to women in the Catholic Church, including ordaining them as deacons, and the greater inclusion of laity in governance and decision making. Christopher Lamb, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Deacon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deacon. Accessed 14 Apr. 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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